Malaysia 2026 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

Isra and Mi'raj

27 Rajab.

Commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's night journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven. A public holiday in Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and several other countries.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Labour Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Muharram

1 Muharram — the Islamic new year.

The first day of the Islamic year. A public holiday in most Muslim-majority countries, though a quiet one — it is a day of remembrance rather than celebration.

Diwali

The new moon of Kartik on the Hindu lunisolar calendar, in October or November.

The festival of lights, the largest Hindu festival of the year and also observed by Sikhs and Jains. A public holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.

Christmas Eve

24 December.

The evening of 24 December is the main celebration in the Nordics, Germany, Poland and much of Central Europe, where gifts are exchanged that night rather than on Christmas morning. Often a half day or a de facto day off rather than a statutory holiday.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.