rates.my
Sign in
Loungers and umbrellas beside a resort pool framed by palm trees at dusk
Cost of Living

The 2027 calendar

Malaysia Public Holidays 2027: All 15 Federal Dates, and What a Day Off Really Costs

RaymondRates.my4 min read

Malaysia's 2027 public holiday calendar is now gazetted. There is no single answer to how many days off you get — and 2027 hands more of them back to the weekend than 2026.

RM1bil+
Cost of one extra public holiday
MEF estimate, July 2025
+3.7%
Q1 2026 retail sales growth
both biggest festivals fell in that quarter
5
Federal holidays left in 2026
from Maulidur Rasul on 25 August

How many is it, actually?

MALAYSIA 2027 — WHY THERE IS NO SINGLE NUMBERthe federal schedule and your state schedule are two separate documentsFederal holiday days12 gazetted holidays — Chinese New Year and both Rayas run two days each15State schedule entriesThaipusam, Gawai, Kaamatan and every ruler's and governor's birthday34What you actually getThe two lists overlap, and no single state observes all of themvariesSource: Hari Kelepasan Am 2027, Bahagian Kabinet (BKPP), Jabatan Perdana Menteri.
Two separate gazettes, two separate counts. Which ones you get depends on the state you work in.
  • Chinese New Year and both Rayas run two days each — so the holiday and day counts differ.
  • The state schedule is a separate list, covering Thaipusam, Gawai, Kaamatan and every ruler's birthday.

The 2027 federal dates

Federal holiday2027Day
Chinese New Year6 FebSat
Chinese New Year (2nd day)7 FebSun
Hari Raya Puasa *10 MarWed
Hari Raya Puasa (2nd day) *11 MarThu
Labour Day1 MaySat
Hari Raya Qurban *17 MayMon
Hari Raya Qurban (2nd day) *18 MayTue
Wesak Day20 MayThu
Awal Muharam6 JunSun
Agong's Birthday7 JunMon
Maulidur Rasul15 AugSun
National Day31 AugTue
Malaysia Day16 SepThu
Deepavali *28 OctThu
Christmas Day25 DecSat

Listed in date order, as gazetted. * marks the gazette's own “subject to change” note. Amber = falls on a Saturday or Sunday.

  • Three holidays carry an asterisk — both Rayas and Deepavali still move with the moon or almanac.
  • Merdeka lands on a Tuesday, Malaysia Day on a Thursday — neither builds a natural long weekend.

What the weekend takes back

FEDERAL HOLIDAY DAYS THAT LAND ON A WEEKENDsame 15-day scale both years — 2027 gives two more of them backon a working weekdayon a weekend202611 days420279 days6Weekday counts computed from the gazetted dates and checked against the calendar.
Both bars are the same 15 federal holiday days. In 2027, six of them arrive when most people are already off.
  • Saturday triggers nothing. The Act replaces a holiday only when it falls on the weekly rest day.
  • A Sunday holiday rolls to Monday — and if Monday is already taken, to the day after.
  • Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu rest Friday, so their replacements differ. Johor rejoined the Saturday weekend in 2025.
The 2027 quirk worth diarising. Awal Muharam falls on Sunday 6 June 2027. The next day is already the Agong's birthday — so under section 3 of the Holidays Act 1951, the replacement rolls a second time, to Tuesday 8 June, unless a state gazettes otherwise.

The good: festivals do move money

A brightly lit supermarket aisle stocked with packaged groceries
Chinese New Year and Hari Raya both fell inside the first quarter of 2026 — the strongest festive overlap the retail calendar offers. · Photo: Unsplash
  • Retail still missed its own 4.4% forecast, even with both festivals inside a single quarter.
  • RM4.6 billion in STR and SARA cash aid propped up that spending, not the holidays alone.

The bad: someone pays for the day off

WHAT CLOSES WHEN THE HOLIDAY LANDS ON A WORKING DAYmoney stops moving for the day — it does not stop accruingBursa MalaysiaSecurities and derivatives markets shutBank branches and clearingCheques, transfers and FD placements queueBursa Suq Al-Sila'Stayed open through the 2026 holiday closures
A public holiday on a working day is a settlement day the calendar simply skips.
  • Bursa shut for three sessions across late May and early June 2026 — trades and settlement waited.
  • SMEs pay overtime and miss delivery windows, says Samenta — the cost lands hardest on small firms.

A closed bank is not a paused rate — see today's FD rates or this week's Malaysian finance calendar.

What to watch

  • 25 Aug 2026Maulidur Rasul — the first of the five federal holidays left this year.
  • Late 2026State authorities gazette their own 2027 lists, which is when replacement days get confirmed.
  • Nearer the dateThe asterisked 2027 dates can shift — confirm before booking flights or leave around them.
Not financial advice. This is general information based on the public holiday schedules gazetted by the Cabinet Division (BKPP), Prime Minister's Department, and on the cited public reporting, as at 24 August 2026. Gazetted dates can change, and states may vary their own lists. Confirm dates with your employer or the relevant state authority before relying on them.

Sources & further reading

Ready to act on this?

Compare today's best FD rates

Keep reading

Fixed DepositBank Muamalat FD Promotion 2026: 3.83% PIDM-Protected vs 3.88% That Isn't — Which Elevate Campaign Tier Wins?Fixed DepositAffin FD Promotion 2026: 3.45% DIVENTIUM Rate vs 3.30% Anyone Can Get OnlineInvestingMalaysian Finance Calendar: 24–30 August 2026

💬 Market Chat

Join the discussion — share your take on this with other Rates.my readers.

💬 Discussion

Your rating:
(optional)
Loading discussion…

This article is general information, not personalised financial advice. Rates.my is not a licensed financial adviser — always verify rates with the institution and consider your own circumstances.

← All insights