KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah has been urged to reinstate the Thaipusam occasional public holiday for its workers.
The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said the religious festival is an important occasion for Hindu workers and giving them leave on that day is recognition to them.
MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Bahrin Mansor said leave for Thaipusam is a privilege that must be accorded to Hindu workers to perform their prayers and fulfil vows.
"By doing so, workers do not need to apply for annual leave to fulfil any vows and pray," he said in a statement today.
Kamarul Bahrin recalled a reminder from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who told the trade union leadership that if any change was to be made involving the workers, the effects must be better than what they were before.
"The MTUC sees the cancellation of this Thaipusam holiday as a step back by the Kedah state government. With the PM's reminder as a guide, the MTUC will defend any change that does not benefit workers. As such, we urge the Kedah Menteri Besar to reinstate Thaipusam as a holiday for the workers," he said.
Kamarul Bahrin added that the MTUC expects the Kedah government to focus on more important issues, such as measures on how to eliminate Covid-19 and provide more employment opportunities to the people.
He also called on politicians to stop politicising the Thaipusam holiday issue to simply gain workers' support.
"The MTUC believes that reinstating the Thaipusam leave in Kedah will not bring any loss, instead, it would only encourage better unity and respect among religions and is a step in the right direction to maintain peace and harmony," he said.
On Wednesday, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor announced that there will be no public holiday for Thaipusam, as all activities for the religious festival have been cancelled due to the Movement Control Order (MCO).
He said that since there would be no celebrations in temples this year, there would be no public holiday.
Although temple celebrations have been cancelled nationwide, other states that have declared Thaipusam as a public holiday, have not rescinded the holiday.