A List of Public Holidays In Malaysia [2026 Updated]

Malaysia has become an important business destination in just a few years. With strong economic growth and a business friendly environment, many global and regional companies are looking to set up offices in Malaysia or expand their existing operations.

As an employer, it is important to understand public holidays to manage attendance, payroll, leave planning, and compliance. Many organizations already rely on Yomly, Malaysia’s leading HR and payroll software, to manage employee records, process payroll accurately, and track leave and holidays in one place.

To make planning easier for everyone, we have created this complete list of public holidays in Malaysia with the latest updates for 2026. Check this list, save it for reference, and make sure your business stays prepared throughout the year.

2026 Calendar For Public Holidays In Malaysia At A Glance

Before we dive deep into the detailed list and state wise breakdown, let us first take a quick look at the 2026 calendar for public holidays in Malaysia.

This at a glance view highlights the main national and widely observed holidays, helping employers and HR teams plan work schedules, payroll cycles, and leave policies more efficiently.

Important Note: Public holidays in Malaysia can vary by state, and some holidays may be observed on different dates depending on the local ruler’s decision or moon sighting for Islamic holidays. Replacement holidays may also apply when a public holiday falls on a weekend. Employers should always verify state specific holidays and official announcements before finalizing payroll, leave policies, or work schedules for 2026.

Malaysia’s Public Holidays In Detail (As Per 2026)

For employers who want to understand public holidays in more detail, this section breaks down each holiday as observed in Malaysia for 2026. We look at every major public holiday individually, making sure you have clear and practical information to support workforce planning, leave management, and payroll decisions throughout the year.

New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day marks the start of the calendar year and is widely observed across Malaysia. For employees, it represents a fresh start and often follows year end leave periods. Employers should account for lower workforce availability and ensure payroll cutoffs, annual leave resets, and attendance policies are clearly aligned.

Chinese New Year (Day 1 and Day 2)

Chinese New Year is one of the most significant festivals in Malaysia, especially for the Chinese community. Employees often travel to their hometowns for family reunions. Employers should plan for extended leave requests, reduced productivity during the period, and ensure holiday pay is calculated correctly for both days.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Day 1 and Day 2)

Hari Raya Aidilfitri marks the end of Ramadan and is a major celebration for Muslim employees. Many employees take additional leave to travel and celebrate with family. Employers must plan for business continuity, respect religious significance, and ensure leave, payroll, and festive allowances are managed properly.

Labour Day

Labour Day recognizes the contribution of workers across all industries. For employees, it reinforces labor rights and fair working conditions. Employers should ensure compliance with labor laws regarding public holiday pay, especially for employees required to work on this day, including overtime or replacement leave policies.

Hari Raya Haji

Hari Raya Haji holds religious importance for Muslim employees and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage. Employees may request leave for religious observances or family gatherings. Employers should consider flexible scheduling, confirm public holiday eligibility, and ensure operational coverage in sectors that require continuous staffing.

Wesak Day

Wesak Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Buddha and is important for Buddhist employees. It is commonly observed with temple visits and community activities. Employers should recognize its cultural significance and plan workloads accordingly, especially in regions with higher Buddhist populations.

Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

This holiday honors the King of Malaysia and is observed nationwide. For employees, it is a federal public holiday with no religious association. Employers should ensure consistent application across states and confirm that payroll systems correctly mark it as a paid public holiday.

Awal Muharram

Awal Muharram marks the Islamic New Year and is observed by Muslim employees through reflection and religious activities. It is generally a quieter holiday but still important. Employers should account for attendance planning and be mindful of its reliance on lunar observations, which may affect final dates.

Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Maulidur Rasul)

Maulidur Rasul celebrates the birth of Prophet Muhammad and is widely observed across Malaysia. Employees may participate in religious events and community gatherings. Employers should consider potential late starts or leave requests and ensure holiday recognition aligns with official announcements.

National Day (Merdeka Day)

National Day celebrates Malaysia’s independence and holds strong patriotic value for employees. Public events and celebrations are common. Employers should expect full holiday observance, plan around possible traffic disruptions, and ensure correct public holiday compensation if operations continue.

Malaysia Day

Malaysia Day marks the formation of Malaysia and is observed nationwide. For employees, it is a significant national holiday similar to Merdeka Day. Employers should treat it as a full public holiday and factor it into monthly payroll, attendance tracking, and workforce planning.

Deepavali

Deepavali is a major festival for Hindu employees, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. Employees often take leave for religious rituals and family gatherings. Employers should recognize its cultural importance and confirm state level observance, as some states may have specific replacement holidays.

Deepavali Replacement Holiday

When Deepavali falls on a weekend, a replacement holiday may apply depending on the state. Employees rely on this day for rest or extended celebrations. Employers must track state specific rules carefully to avoid payroll errors or incorrect leave deductions.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is widely observed by Christian employees and marks the end of the year holiday season. Many employees plan leave around this period. Employers should prepare for lower availability, year end payroll closures, and ensure public holiday entitlements are correctly reflected in HR systems.

Why Leading Enterprises Across Malaysia Choose Yomly?

Handling payroll is one of the most critical responsibilities for any business, and it becomes even more complex when you scale across multiple locations and manage more than 200 employees. This is where Yomly helps Malaysian enterprises simplify HR and payroll operations without manual effort or risk.

Yomly offers an automated payroll system that is fully aligned with Malaysia’s local public holidays, statutory requirements, and compliance needs. From accurate salary calculations to leave tracking and holiday management, everything stays updated in one system.

Beyond payroll, Yomly comes with integrated tools for performance management, shift scheduling, employee rewards, hiring, and more. This means you do not need multiple disconnected platforms to manage your workforce.

So, if you are looking to streamline HR operations, reduce errors, and scale with confidence, choose Yomly. You can book a demo today and get started with a smarter HR and payroll system built for growing businesses in Malaysia.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many public holidays are there in Malaysia in 2026?

Malaysia observes both federal and state level public holidays. In 2026, there are around 16 nationwide public holidays, including New Year’s Day, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, National Day, and Malaysia Day. The total number can increase depending on the state, as some holidays like Deepavali, Thaipusam, and state ruler birthdays vary by location.

2. Are public holidays in Malaysia the same for all states?

No, public holidays in Malaysia are not the same across all states. While federal holidays apply nationwide, each state may observe additional holidays based on religious practices or state specific events. Employers operating in multiple states must track these differences carefully to avoid payroll and attendance errors.

3. What happens if a public holiday falls on a weekend in Malaysia?

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, most states provide a replacement holiday on the next working day. However, replacement rules can vary by state and by holiday. Employers should always check official announcements and update payroll systems to ensure employees receive the correct entitlement.

4. How do public holidays affect payroll and overtime calculations in Malaysia?

Employees who work on a public holiday are usually entitled to extra pay or replacement leave, as defined under Malaysian labor laws. Incorrect handling of public holiday pay can lead to compliance issues. Using payroll software that automatically factors in public holidays helps reduce calculation errors and ensures legal compliance.

5. How can employers manage Malaysia public holidays more efficiently?

Employers can manage public holidays more efficiently by using an HR and payroll system like Yomly  that is preconfigured with Malaysia’s federal and state holidays. Automated systems help track leave, calculate holiday pay, manage shifts, and stay compliant. This is especially important for growing companies with multiple locations and large teams.