Hindu Civil Servants To Get Unrecorded Leave For Deepavali

The government has approved the adjustment of unrecorded leave for Hindu civil servants in states where Sunday is the designated weekend day. This change aligns with Deepavali falling on November 13 (Monday) by moving the leave to November 14 (Tuesday). For states such as Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor the unrecorded leave will be given on 13th November(Monday) as their Sunday is not a weekend day for them.

The statement implies that the final decision regarding the issue is contingent upon the consent or approval from the appropriate governing bodies or authorities. It signifies that the Director General of Public Service, Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed, has indicated that the matter, whatever it may be, needs official acceptance from the relevant parties in order for it to proceed or be implemented.

“Unrecorded leave is bound to the authorised day only and cannot be brought to the next day if the unrecorded leave falls on a public holiday or weekend. However, the government, on Nov 3, agreed to grant an exemption for 2023”, he said in a circular shared on Public Servant Department.

Zulkapli mentioned that the issue has been communicated to state public services, statutory bodies, and local authorities. He stated that since 2018, the government has approved an extra unrecorded leave day for Hindu civil servants. This additional day is granted after Deepavali, allowing them to observe and celebrate the festival.

He referenced the presence of the policy in the Human Resource Services Circular (MyPPSM) SR 5.3.6. The additional unrecorded leave day is applicable in all Malaysian states, except Sarawak, which doesn’t recognize Deepavali as a public holiday.

However, the government in a latest report has approved granting unrecorded leave for Hindu civil servants in Sarawak as well during the Deepavali festival, effective from November 9, 2023. This decision was detailed in a circular dated November 9, 2023, signed by Public Services Department (PSD) director-general Datuk Zulkapli Mohamed and shared on the official PSD Facebook page.

“In that regard, as Deepavali in 2023 falls on Sunday (Nov 12), then officers who are of Hindu faith can apply for CTR on Monday (Nov 13) to celebrate Deepavali,” according to the circular.