S’wak workers entitled to replacement public holidays in June 2026 due to festive overlap

Sarawak workers to receive replacement public holidays in early June 2026 following overlap of Wesak Day, Agong’s Birthday and Gawai Dayak.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Apr 20: Workers in Sarawak will be entitled to replacement public holidays in early June 2026 due to overlapping celebrations involving Wesak Day, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday, and Gawai Dayak.

According to a statement issued by the Sarawak Labour Department under the Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia today, the overlap requires the determination of replacement holidays for workers covered under the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (Chapter 76).

In 2026, Wesak Day falls on May 31, while the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday coincides with the first day of Gawai Dayak on June 1. The second day of Gawai Dayak will be observed on June 2.

Under Subsection 104(1) of the Sarawak Labour Ordinance, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday is a compulsory public holiday that must be granted to workers and cannot be substituted with another day.

Meanwhile, Wesak Day and the first and second days of Gawai Dayak are public holidays determined based on the religion and cultural practices of employees.

The ordinance also states that if a public holiday falls on a worker’s rest day or overlaps with another public holiday, the next working day must be designated as a replacement holiday.

As such, for workers covered under the ordinance who are granted leave for Wesak Day as well as the first and second days of Gawai Dayak, June 3, 2026, will serve as a replacement public holiday for Wesak Day if it falls on the worker’s rest day.

In addition, June 4 will be observed as a replacement public holiday for the first day of Gawai Dayak, which coincides with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday.

However, the Sarawak Labour Department said the replacement dates may be changed to other days through mutual agreement between employers and employees, in accordance with Subsection 104(2) of the same ordinance.

Employees required to work on any of the public holidays or replacement days are entitled to public holiday pay rates as provided under Subsections 104(6), (7), (8) and (9) of the ordinance. — DayakDaily