Sarawak declares extra holiday for Hari Raya Aidilfitri

KUCHING (March 18): The Sarawak government has declared an additional public holiday in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki in a statement said the additional holiday will depend on the date of 1 Syawal 1447H.

“If 1 Syawal 1447H falls on Friday, March 20, 2026, then Monday, March 23 will be declared an additional public holiday across Sarawak.

“However, if 1 Syawal 1447H falls on Saturday, March 21, then Friday, March 20 will be observed as the additional public holiday statewide,” he said.

He added that the declaration is in addition to the public holidays already provided for under the First Schedule of the Public Holidays Ordinance.

The announcement follows an earlier decision by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who recently announced an extra public holiday for Hari Raya Aidilfitri nationwide, subject to the date of the festival.

Speaking in Kota Kinabalu on March 15, Anwar said the additional holiday would fall either on March 20 or March 23, depending on the sighting of the Syawal moon, to allow Malaysians more time to travel and celebrate with their families.

He said the early announcement was intended to help the public plan ahead for the festive season and was also a gesture of appreciation for their efforts and sacrifices during Ramadan.