In line with provisions under Section 60D(1) of the Employment Act 1955 and the Holidays Act 1951, employers across Malaysia are now required to comply with the official declaration of 15 September 2025 as an additional public holiday, as announced by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a special session today.
This directive means that employers must provide their employees with the option to either take the day off, work and receive wages at the public holiday rate, or be given a replacement leave on another day.
Human Resources Minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong, said the move is to ensure that all employees benefit from the additional public holiday and are not exploited by their employers.
“Employers are obligated to observe this additional public holiday and may choose to either allow employees the day off with normal pay, require them to work and pay wages at the public holiday rate, or grant a replacement holiday if employees are required to work on that day,” he said in a statement.
“To ensure fair and orderly implementation of this additional public holiday, the Department of Labour (JTK) nationwide is prepared to provide advisory services and respond to any inquiries from employers and employees regarding the execution of this directive,” he added.
-HR HUB
