2014 Malaysia Public Holidays

The government through the Prime Minister's Department has just released the 2014 gazetted public holidays for the country as well as by state.

This would mean that it's that time of the year again to start planning for the year ahead whether you are a corporate citizen, a private employee or a parent planning your holiday with your family for next year:

This chart is for the National Public Holidays. Click on image to enlarge.

This is the schedule by state - two parts..

Referring to the charts above can be confusing I know, so I've crunched them down to a simpler version. Here it is, 2014 public holidays celebrated nationally, in Kuala Lumpur and in Selangor (the latter including Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang). I'm sorry if you are located in other states, you can still refer to the charts above.

2014 Malaysia Public Holidays as well as for Kuala Lumpur and Selangor..

I haven't received the schedule for school holidays for next year so you may want to check back.


Related article:
2013 Malaysia National Public Holidays & School Holidays

Happy Labour Day and Happy Birthday!

Labour Day is celebrated on May 1 this part of the world. Today is Labour Day which is a national public holiday. Banks, government departments, offices are closed for business. Google Malaysia commemorates this day with a Google doodle as in the doodle below.y

Happy holiday!

Would you believe it, I know four people (all female) whose birthday falls on May 1? Yep, four of them! Let's put it this way.. you could go shopping for presents one shot.

Happy birthday, best wishes for health and happiness, my dear friends.. and a song for you, First of May by BeeGees.

Happy Deepavali & Happy Awal Muharram

For office-workers here in Malaysia, this is a wonderful workweek. It's a short workweek of three workdays as opposed to the regular five or six workdays.

Today, Nove 13, Hindus celebrate Diwali or better known here as Deepavali, the Festival of Lights.

On Thurday, Nov 15, Muslims celebrate the first day of the Muslim new year, the year of 1434. The celebration is known here as Awal Muharram.

Both days are public holidays where offices (Government departments and banks included) and schools are closed. Some people take off the in-between days and make it a week-long stretch of holiday.

Let me take this opportunity to wish Hindu readers Happy Deepavali and a card that follows..

..and to Muslim readers, best wishes for a Happy Awal Muharram and the year ahead. (Apologies, couldn't find any ecard available or I didn't know where to look.)

Also, the year-end school holiday has begun (started on Nov 9) and will stretch until Dec 31.

Happy Holidays to All..

Selamat Hari Raya Haji & 2013 Public and School Holidays

The weekend comes early this week as today is the last day of work for the week. Tomorrow is a national public holiday as Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Adha or Aidil Adha or commonly-known here in Malaysia as Hari Raya Haji.

Hari Raya Haji is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It marks the end of the annual hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.

Let me take this opportunity to wish everyone celebrating this happy occasion Selamat Hari Raya Haji..

And to you who are along for the ride, Happy Holiday..

From now until the end of the year, we will get to enjoy four more national public holidays. The next national holiday is on Nov 13 (a Tuesday) in which Hindus will be celebrating a religious festival, Deepavali or Diwali, the Festival of Lights.

Planning for next year's vacation? The 2013 Malaysia National Public Holidays and School Holidays schedule may be what you need. Happy planning!

Malaysia celebrates 53 years of independence

Today, Malaysia celebrates her 53rd Independence Day or known as Merdeka Day locally.

Am watching on TV3 live telecast of the parade at Bukit Jalil stadium.

Happy Merdeka Day!

Christmas is not too far away

We know how time flies. With that in mind, my colleague who makes cards as a hobby has started designing and making Christmas cards. Christmas is a time for parties and family gatherings so included in her schedule are cards for Christmas party invitations.

In fact, if you have a knack for art and craft, you can also make your own cards. A color printer is an added bonus. Have you tried putting together a personal card? Try it. It's a great feeling.

Counting Public Holidays

Feeling the Monday blues..

Thought I need to give myself a boost by counting the number of public holidays I shall be looking forward to until year-end.


Sep
20 & 21 Hari Raya Puasa (*)

Oct
17 Deepavali

Nov
27 Hari Raya Qurban/Haji (*)

Dec
11 Sultan Selangor Birthday
18 Awal Muharam (Muslim New Year's Day)
25 Christmas Day


I hope you are having a better day..

Merdeka Day in Kuala Lumpur

Today, August 31, is Malaysia's National Day. It is the nation's 52nd anniversary. Because it falls in the Ramadhan (fasting) month, national celebrations this year have been scaled down. Instead of the usual two-hour national day parade, it has been cut down to a mere forty minutes involving only 1600 participants allowed entry into the grounds. The location has also been changed to a smaller one (at the Parliament Square) instead of the usual place at Merdeka Square (locally known as Dataran Merdeka).

This is Merdeka Square.


And this is where the parade normally passes where the dignitaries are seated.


There is not much in the form of decorations this year. The people have been asked to maintain low key. There is only the usual flag displayed in business premises and some giant flags draped across buildings and some buntings. No fireworks display at KLCC and such. Overall, it's going to be a quiet national day.

I was at Suria KLCC last week and true to form, the decoration was indeed low-key. Too low-key I thought.



Decoration at Parliament grounds..


..at National Heart Institute Foundation


But hey, Google Malaysia has not forgotten to commemorate the occasion..


How is the decoration at where you are?


Happy Merdeka, Malaysians!


Image source:
The Star
Wikipedia

Malaysia 2008 & 2009 Public Holidays

Yesterday was a public holiday for some states, but not for the Federal Territory, Kuala Lumpur. Yesterday's public holiday is Nuzul Al-Quran or translated in English as the Revelation of the Quran. I believe Malaysia has the most number of holidays as compared to other countries.

There are 17 public holidays in a year and 18 this year, 2008, because there are two Awal Muharram days. This is because the Muslim calendar is not a full twelve months so after a cycle of a few years, Muslim holidays will appear twice a year - at the beginning of the year and towards the end of the year. This year is one of this phenomenon. Awal Muharram is the Muslim New Year's Day.

For our foreign friends, let me give you a rundown of this year's holidays.

2008 Public Holidays
Jan
01 - New Year's Day
10 - Awal Muharram (Muslim New Year's Day)
23 - Thaipusam

Feb
07 - Chinese New Year
08 - Chinese New Year

Mar
20 - Prophet Muhammad's Birthday

May
01 - Labor Day
19 - Wesak Day

Jun
07 - King's Birthday

Aug
31 - National Day

Sep
17 - Nuzul Al-Quran (Revelation of the Quran)

Oct
01 - Hari Raya Puasa (*)
02 - Hari Raya Puasa (*)
27 - Deepavali

Dec
08 - Hari Raya Qurban/Haji (*)
11 - Sultan Selangor's Birthday
25 - Christmas
29 - Awal Muharram (Muslim New Year's Day)

* Subject to change

Want next year's too? Okay, let me also give you next year's so you'd know when we would be taking blog-breaks. LOL!

For our Chinese friends, yep, Chinese New Year will be in January, next year.

2009 Public Holidays
Jan
1 New Year's Day
26 & 27 Chinese New Year

Feb
8 Thaipusam

Mar
9 Prophet Muhammad's Birthday

May
1 Labor Day
9 Wesak Day

Jun
6 King's Birthday

Aug
31 National Day

Sep
7 Nuzul Al-Quran
20 & 21 Hari Raya Puasa (*)

Oct
17 Deepavali

Nov
27 Hari Raya Qurban/Haji (*)

Dec
11 Sultan Selangor Birthday
18 Awal Muharam (Muslim New Year's Day)
25 Christmas Day