Public Holidays In Malaysia
马来西亚的公共假期
The government of Malaysia declared September 4, 2017 a public holiday following Malaysia’s outstanding performance at the 29th SEA Games. The Prime Minister was teasing the crowd, saying it was not easy to declare a public holiday. Many Malaysians Employers are surely wondering how the Government can declare a public holiday in Malaysia?
在第二十九届东南亚运动会获得出色的成绩后，马来西亚政府宣布2017年9月4日为公共假期。当时的首相还风趣地调侃道，宣布假期可不是件容易的事。很多马来西亚的雇主们一定都很好奇： 为何马来西亚政府可以自行宣布假期？
We will explain how the Employers need only to observe 11 days per year of the Gazetted holidays, out of which the employers are free to choose 6 out of the 11 days.
我们会解释：雇主们只需遵守一年十一天的刊宪假期，雇主们可自行选择当中的6天假期。
How many Public Holidays do We have?
我们可拥有多少天的公共假期？
Public Holiday are listed in the First Schedule of the Holidays Act. The 10 Public Holidays listed in the schedule is observed throughout Malaysia as follows:
公共假日列于《假日法令》（Holidays Act）的第一列表（first schedule）。当中就有十个公共假日必须被全马来西亚人民遵守，那就是：
Chinese New Year 农历新年
Wesak Day 卫塞节
Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2 days 开斋节 2天
Merdeka Day 31 August 国庆日 8月31日
Hari Raya Haji 哈芝节
Agong’s Birthday 元首诞辰
Malaysia Day 16 September 马来西亚日 9月16日
Deepavali 屠妖节
Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday 先知默罕默德诞辰
Christmas Day 25 December 圣诞节 12月25日
It is interesting to note that only one day for Chinese New Year holiday in the States of Kelantan and Terengganu, two days in the other States while two days Hari Raya Haji holiday in the States of Kelantan and Terengganu, one day in the other States.
比较特别的是，农历新年的假日在吉兰丹及登嘉楼州只有一天，而其他州属则有两天。相反的，这两个州属可享有两天的哈芝节假期，而其他州属只享有一天假期。
Hold On, we have more public Holiday: State Level
除此之外， 我们还有更多公共假期：州属假期
In Malaysia, we have two types of public holidays, those at national and state levels. National holidays are the abovementioned public holiday, normally observed by most governmental and private organisations. State holidays are normally observed by certain states in Malaysia or when it is relevant to the state itself according to section 9(1) of the Holidays Act.
在马来西亚， 我们有两种公共假期-全国假期及州属假期。
上文提及的都是国家假期，这些假期通常都会被政府及私人机构遵守。州属假日通常只被一些特定的州属或在《假日法令》条文9（1）下与这些州属有关系的机构遵守。
As an example let us take Kuala Lumpur, the national capital of the country. Kuala Lumpur celebrates New Year’s Day on January 1, Thaipusam, Nuzul Al-Quran and Awal Muharram.
举个例子，吉隆坡，我们的首都。吉隆坡庆祝一月一日的新年，大宝森节，可兰经降世日（Nuzul Al-Quran）及穆哈兰姆节（Awal Muharram）。
Kuala Lumpur also celebrates a special holiday called Federal Territory Day along with only two other territories on February 1 according to section 9(2) of the Holidays Act. Federal Territory Day in Kuala Lumpur celebrates the formation of the territory in 1974. Prior to that, Kuala Lumpur and the area now known as Putrajaya were under the state of Selangor.
根据《假日法令》条文9（2），吉隆坡和另外两个联邦直辖区也在2月1日庆祝马来西亚联邦直辖区日。这是为了纪念1974年联邦直辖区的成立。在这之前，吉隆坡和布特拉再也隶属于雪兰莪州。
The Private Sector: 11 Days to be Observed.
私人领域：11天的假期必须遵守
5 Compulsory Days and 6 Elective Days
5天强制假期；6天选择性假期
Fortunately, for the Employers, Section 60D of the Employment Act only provides every employees to be entitled to the 11 gazetted public holidays and any day appointed as a public holiday under section 8 of the Holidays Act (for example, September 4, 2017).
对雇主来说，很幸运的，《马来西亚劳工法令》条文60D只提供了11刊宪公共假日和在《假日法令》条文8下被宣布的假日给雇员。（例如2017年9月4日）
That is to say employers are not required to observe these state level holidays. As such, the employees are still required to work as usual if the employers do not declare these state level holidays as paid holidays.
相对来说，雇主们并不需要遵从州属假日。因此，若雇主没有宣布这些州属假日为有薪假日，雇员们还是得像往常一样工作。
Exceptions are, Federal Territory Day must be observed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajya and Labuan. In other states, the Birthday of the Ruler or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri must be observed.
不同的是，联邦直辖区日必须被吉隆坡，布特拉再也及纳闽的雇主遵从。在其他的州属，州統治者或州元首的诞辰应被视为公共假期。
Section 60D provides that the employer must list 11 gazetted public holidays that the employees are entitled to before the commencement of each calendar year, 5 of which shall be:
《马来西亚劳工法令》条文60D规定雇主需在每年一月一日前列明11个刊宪公共假日，其中五个必须包括：
National Day, the Birthday of Yang-Di Pertuan Agong, Birthday of the Ruler or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Federal Territory Day, the Worker’s Day and Malaysia Day.
国庆日，元首诞辰，州统治者或州元首诞辰或联邦直辖区日，劳动节及马来西亚日。
The Employers are free to choose the remaining 6 holidays to make up the 11 days.
雇主可以自由选择剩下的六个公共假期以凑成11天。
This section allows the employers to ask the employees to come to work on Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidifiltri or Deepavali! As stated earlier, the employer need to list which 11 gazetted public holiday, if your day is not in the list, you have to be absent from the table of family gathering.
这个条文允许雇主要求员工于农历新年，开斋节或屠妖节工作！
如上文所说，雇主需列明11个刊宪公共假期， 若你的节日没有被列在其之内，可能你就要缺席你的家庭聚会了。
The Minister can create more holidays!
部长可制造更多假期！
The Minister can declare any day as a public holiday according to section 8 of the Holidays Act. This section basically gives the Minister responsible the power to appoint any day he wants as a public holiday in the Peninsular, the Federal Territories or certain States (after consulting the States).
《假日法令》条文8给予了部长宣布假日的权利。简单来说，这条文让部长有权利定下哪天成为公共假期。这条文只适用于西马，联邦直辖区及特定州属（与该州属协商后）。
Based on the abovementioned section, Prime Minister is the Minister charged with responsibility for public holiday. He may appoint any date, in our scenario, September 4 as a public holiday. This can be seen in a statement issued by the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department has announced that September 4 as a public holiday in appreciation of the outstanding achievement of the Malaysian contingent in 29th Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.
综上所述，首相是负责假期事宜的部长。他能挑选任何日子，在我们的情况下，9月4日被列为公共假日。马来西亚首相署发表的文告中指出，首相署宣布9月4日为公共假期以欢庆马来西亚队员在29届东南亚运动会中取得的佳绩。
This holiday is a national holiday and observed throughout Malaysia by the public sector and the private sector. Private sector is governed by Employment Act 1955.
这是一个国家假期因此必须被全马的私人以及政府机构遵从。私人机构的运作处于《劳工法令》的管辖下。
It is important to note that the Employment Act only applies to Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak, collectively called East Malaysia, have maintained separate labour enactments.
值得注意的是，《劳工法令》只适用于西马半岛或西马。沙巴及砂拉越，统称东马，有自己的一套劳工律法。
Can the employer asks the employees to work on a Declared Public Holiday?
雇主可以让劳工在政府宣布的公共假期工作日吗？
Under Section 60 of Employment Act, an employee may be required to work on any paid holiday subjected to two days’ wages at the ordinary rate of pay.
In addition, section 60D 3(b) provides that an employee who works on a holiday shall be entitled to a travelling allowance for that day if payable to him under the terms of his agreement with his employer but such employee shall not be entitled under this subsection to receive an increased rate of any housing allowance or food allowance.
Employer may be fined if does not grant leave.
《劳工法令》条文60D指出，在任何有薪假期工作的雇员可享有双倍普通日的工资。
除此之外，条文60D 3（b）指出原本在雇佣合约里享用交通津贴的雇员，若在有薪公共假期工作，依然能享有该津贴。但此条文不适用于增加伙食津贴及住宿津贴。
若不让员工放假，雇主将被罚款。
In the previous installation of Sultan Muhammad V from Kelantan as Malaysia’s 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan has said that employers who do not grant leave on 24 April could face a fine as according to section 99A of the Employment Act. Meanwhile, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Abdul Halim Bin Mansor said that government and private offices in every state should comply to the holiday as a sign of respect.
早前，在Sultan Muhammad 五世于吉兰丹举行的第十五任国家元首登基典礼时，马来西亚雇主联盟（MEF）执行董事 Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan指出不让雇员在4月24日放假的雇主将在《劳工法令》99A的条文下被罚款。
同时，马来西亚工会代表大会（MTUC）主席Abdul Halim Bin Mansor 也指出所有州属的政府及私人机构应当遵守法定假日以示尊重。
Replacement Day
替代假期
Some companies may have plans on September 4. The employer may grant the employee any other day as a paid public holiday in substitution for any of the public holidays according to Section 60D (1A) of the Employment Act.
一些公司可能在9月4日举办活动。雇主可以给予雇员其他日子以替代该有薪假期，在《劳工法令》条文60D（1A）的管辖下。
Conclusion
结论
There are only 11 days of paid Public Holidays, out of which the employers may choose 6 out of 11, there are some special holidays the Minister may declare from time to time as special holidays.
有薪公共假期只有11天，雇主能自由选择其中的6天，此外部长们也能将一些特别的日子宣布为假期。
However, the employers may nominate a replacement day for these holidays declared at short notice.
但是，雇主们却可以一其他日子来替代这些临时被宣布的公共假期。
If the employers should require the employees to work during those holidays declared by the minister, the rate of pay is that of a public holiday.
若雇主想要让雇员在这些被宣布为公共假期的日子工作，他们的薪水应该和在有薪假期期间工作的一样，即两倍日常工资。
