[UPDATED] Hindu civil servants to get extra day off this Deepavali: Saravanan

KUALA LUMPUR – Civil servants of the Hindu faith will be given an extra day off on top of the one-day public holiday for Deepavali, which falls on November 4.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the additional unrecorded leave will take effect on the second day of the festival, after it was given the go-ahead by the government. 

This is a continuation of the policy introduced by the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018.

In a statement today, Saravanan said he hopes employers in the private sector will consider taking a similar measure in providing one extra unrecorded leave to their Hindu staff.

Considering that the additional off day will fall on a Friday, this will allow those celebrating Deepavali more time to spend with their families over the weekend. 

Saravanan’s statement comes just three days after DAP’s Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer urged the government to grant those celebrating the festival two days of national holiday, instead of just the current one.

“We will be celebrating Deepavali next week, so I’m taking this opportunity to appeal to the minister – who is from MIC – to give attention to this issue,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday. 

On a similar note, Rayer urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun to consider granting an additional day off to all MPs on Wednesday next week for Deepavali.

“We want to balik kampung to celebrate. Last year, we were not able to celebrate, so I hope the matter can be considered. Out there, many people are complaining why each year, only a single day off is given.”

In response, Azhar said he has already decided to end next Wednesday’s proceedings earlier than usual. 

Meanwhile, Ipoh Barat MP M. Kula Segaran earlier said he is confident that Saravanan will agree with the proposal to increase the number of paid holidays for Deepavali in order to appease voters ahead of the general election. – The Vibes, October 30, 2021