PUTRAJAYA: Private sector employees in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan should given an additional day of paid public holiday on Feb 3 due to the overlap between the public holiday for Chinese New Year and Federal Territories Day.

According to the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department, the additional paid public holiday is subject to Section 600(1)(b)(ii) of the Employment Act 1955.

Act 265 provides that if any of the public holidays specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) fall on any of the public holidays in paragraphs (a) and (b), the following working day after the public holiday shall be deemed to be a paid public holiday in lieu of the first public holiday.

“However, for employers who do not list Chinese New Year as a public holiday, employers only need to provide a paid public holiday for Federal Territories Day only,” according to the department.

This year’s Chinese New Year celebrations fall on Feb 1 and 2, which overlap with Federal Territories Day on Feb 1.

According to the department, Federal Territories Day is a paid public holiday that must be honoured by employers whose place of employment is located in the Federal Territories as provided under section 60D(1)(a)(iii) of Act 265.

For Chinese New Year, if selected and listed by the employer as a public holiday under section 60D(1)(a) of Act 265, it must also be honoured by the employer. – Bernama