With the new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar declaring November 28 as a special holiday, many workers in the private sector are asking whether private sector workers will also be entitled to the holiday.
Although Anwar did not announce which decree was used to promulgate the special holiday, it is predicted that Anwar will designate November 28 as a special holiday based on Article 8 of the Public Holidays Act 1951.
According to Section 60D(1)(b) of the Labour Act 1955, any public holiday declared under Section 8 of the Public Holidays Act is a paid holiday. This also means that the employer must grant the employee leave on that day or is required to provide compensatory leave on another day.
This applies to employers in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, while Sabah and Sarawak are subject to the information published by the respective states.
Under Section 60D(1) of the Labour Act, if a newly granted public holiday falls on a rest day or on any public holiday, then the next working day will automatically become paid compensatory time off.
