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Malaysia has 3 main races, including Chinese, Malay, and Indian. Due to this reason, Malaysians celebrate numerous festivals and have many public holidays.
Understanding when the public holidays in 2025 will help you to plan your holidays and business activities efficiently. Let’s check out when the public holidays are in Malaysia.
Table of Contents
Overview of Malaysia’s Public Holiday System
Malaysia has two main types of holidays: Federal and State holidays.
Federal holidays: Holidays for nationwide. This ensures the country observes certain holidays, such as Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day.
State holidays: Depends on each state. For example, the Sultan of Johor’s Birthday will only be celebrated in Johor, while Sarawak celebrates Gawai Dayak.
Public National Holidays and State Holidays in Malaysia for 2025
| Date | Festival | Federal/State Holiday |
| 1st January | New Year | Excluding Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, & Terengganu |
| 14th January | YDPB Negeri Sembilan’s Birthday | Negeri Sembilan |
| 27th January | Israk and Mikraj | Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 29th January | Chinese New Year | National |
| 30th January | Chinese New Year (2nd Day) | Excluding Kelantan |
| 1st February | Federal Territory Day | Kuala Lumpur, Labuan & Putrajaya |
| 11th February | Thaipusam | Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya & Selangor |
| 20th February | Independence Declaration Day | Melaka |
| 2nd March | Awal Ramadan | Johor & Kedah |
| 3rd March | Awal Ramadan | Johor |
| 4th March | Installation of Sultan Terengganu | Terengganu |
| 18th March | Nuzul Al-Quran | Excluding Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah & Sarawak |
| 23rd March | Sultan of Johor’s Birthday | Johor |
| 24th March | Sultan of Johor’s Birthday | Johor |
| 31st March | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | National |
| 1st April | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | National |
| 2nd April | Hari Raya Aidilfiltri | Melaka |
| 18th April | Good Friday | Sabah & Sarawak |
| 26th April | Sultan of Terengganu’s Birthday | Terengganu |
| 1st May | Labour Day | National |
| 12th May | Wesak Day | National |
| 17th May | Raja Perlis’ Birthday | Perlis |
| 22nd May | Hari Hol Pahang | Pahang |
| 30th May | Harvest Festival | Labuan & Sabah |
| 31st May | Harvest Festival | Labuan & Sabah |
| 1st June | Hari Gawai | Sarawak |
| 2nd June | Hari Gawai | Sarawak |
| 2nd June | Agong’s Birthday | National |
| 3rd June | Agong’s Birthday | Sarawak |
| 6th June | Arafat Day | Kelantan & Terengganu |
| 7th June | Hari Raya Haji | National |
| 8th June | Hari Raya Haji | Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 9th June | Hari Raya Haji | Kelantan, Perlis & Terengganu |
| 22nd June | Sultan of Kedah’s Birthday | Kedah |
| 27th June | Awal Muharram | National |
| 29th June | Awal Muharram | Kedah |
| 7th July | Georgetown World Heritage City Day | Penang |
| 12th July | Penang Governor’s Birthday | Penang |
| 22nd July | Sarawak Day | Sarawak |
| 30th July | Sultan of Pahang’s Birthday | Pahang |
| 31st July | Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar | Johor |
| 24th August | Melaka Governor’s Birthday | Melaka |
| 25th August | Melaka Governor’s Birthday | Melaka |
| 31st August | Merdeka Day | National |
| 1st September | Merdeka Day | Excluding Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu |
| 5th September | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | National |
| 7th September | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | Kedah |
| 16th September | Malaysia Day | National |
| 29th September | Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday | Kelantan |
| 30th September | Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday | Kelantan |
| 4th October | Sabah Governor’s Birthday | Sabah |
| 11th October | Sarawak Governor’s Birthday | Sarawak |
| 20th October | Deepavali | Excluding Sarawak |
| 7th November | Sultan of Perak’s Birthday | Perak |
| 11th December | Sultan of Selangor’s Birthday | Selangor |
| 24th December | Christmas Eve | Sabah |
| 25th December | Christmas | National |
Here’s the public holiday 2025 in Malaysia. Do take note that holidays are subject to change if necessary.
Major Festivals and Observances in 2025
- Chinese New Year 2025
A significant festival celebrated by the Chinese. It will be slightly earlier in 2025, which will be on 29th January 2025.
- Hari Raya 2025
Celebrate by the Muslim, Hari Raya Aidilfitri will be on 31st March 2025
- Deepavali 2025
A big celebration by the Hindu, Deepavali will be on 20th October 2025.
- Thaipusam 2025
Another major festival in Malaysia, Thaipusam will be on 11th February 2025.
Long Weekends and Extended Break Opportunities
It is great to have a long weekend once in a while. You can take a short trip, such as traveling to Langkawi, Malacca or nearby places.
Public holidays such as Vesak Day and Merdeka Day are continuous holidays throughout the weekend. For Labour Day or Malaysia Day, consider taking a day off to enjoy a long weekend. Spend time with your friends and family after working hard throughout the year.
Wrap Up
Taking a break during public holidays or the long weekend can be exciting. Travelling to nearby countries can be a good idea if you have the time. If you are planning to travel overseas, remember to check your passport’s deadline and renew it if it has expired.
Go through the list of public holidays and plan your holidays.