Civil servants working in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan will receive a replacement public holiday on Monday, February 2, 2026, following the overlap of two holidays falling on the same day.
This year, Federal Territory Day and Thaipusam are both scheduled for Sunday, February 1, which also falls on weekend, where it is a weekly rest day for many government workers. Under Section 3 of the Holidays Act 1951 (Act 369), when a public holiday falls on a weekly rest day such as Sunday, the next working day is observed as a public holiday.
According to a statement from the Public Service Department (PSD):
- Civil servants in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will enjoy the deferred holiday on Monday, February 2.
- In Labuan, where Federal Territory Day also falls on Sunday, the replacement leave for that holiday will likewise be observed on February 2.
The Public Service Department (PSD) clarified that this replacement holiday arrangement does not apply to civil servants in relation to the statement issued for private-sector employees on the same dual public holiday date. That earlier statement issued by the Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) outlined public holiday obligations for private employers but does not govern the leave schedule for government staff.
For private-sector workers in the Federal Territories, Federal Territory Day is a mandatory public holiday under the Employment Act 1955, and employers must provide this leave even if it coincides with a Sunday. This decision ensures that civil servants are able to fully observe their holidays and benefit from the statutory entitlements when official public holidays coincide with weekly rest days.
Source: Malay Mail
