May 9 declared national holiday

PETALING JAYA: The caretaker government today declared May 9 as a nationwide public holiday for the benefit of those travelling to exercise their right to vote in the 14th General Election (GE14).
This decision comes after criticism over the midweek polling date and calls for a public holiday, including a public petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V to declare May 9 as a public holiday.
"Following the Election Commission's announcement that polling date for the 14th General Election will be on May 9, 2018, the government has set the day as an additional public holiday for the whole nation.
"This is to enable Malaysians to fulfil their responsibilities as voters," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement today.
It said that the public holiday declaration is in accordance with Section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951 for Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan.
"As for Sabah and Sarawak, the respective state governments have to declare the additional public holiday on the (polling) date in accordance to their Public Holiday Ordinance respectively," PMO said.