Business as usual for Bursa, civil servants tomorrow

PETALING JAYA: While some private companies have chosen to offer a replacement holiday on Tuesday (Sept 17) due to the overlapping observances of Maulidur Rasul and Malaysia Day on Monday (Sept 16), it will be business as usual for Bursa Malaysia and civil servants.

The Prime Minister’s Department had said, in a statement, that there would be no automatic public holiday on Sept 17 for the overlap between Malaysia Day and Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulidur Rasul).

National news agency Bernama reported that an announcement on the Cabinet, Constitution, and Intergovernmental Relations Division website stated that the Holidays Act 1951 (Act 369) does not provide for an automatic replacement holiday for public holidays that overlap or fall on the same working day.

However, the Human Resources Ministry said it recognised both days as individual public holidays and that private sector employers could choose to grant employees a day off for Maulidur Rasul on Sept 17.

“Malaysia Day, which falls on Sept 16, is a mandatory public holiday.

“It cannot be replaced with other dates.

“Meanwhile, Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is recognised as an optional public holiday for employers in the private sector to observe as a general day off,” it said in a statement on Aug 8.

“However, the government may designate another day as a public holiday if necessary,” according to the announcement.

The ministry said that this was covered by Section 60D(1) of the Employment Act 1955, and that private sector employers could also choose to substitute it on a day other than Sept 17, under Section 60D(1A) of the same act.

Meanwhile, Bursa Malaysia Bhd and its subsidiaries will be closed on Sept 16 in observance of both Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulidur Rasul) and the Malaysia Day public holiday.

“Bursa Malaysia and its subsidiaries will resume operations, and carry out trading and settlement activities as usual on Sept 17,” the stock exchange operator said in a statement last month.