Due to its ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity, Malaysians celebrate a long list of holidays. Please keep these in mind when planning travel and business meetings.
A complete listing of Malaysian holidays -- including national, state, and school holidays -- is available at One Stop Malaysia’s website:
Note that it can be difficult to plan meetings during the weeks when Malaysians take extended vacation time. For Malay / Muslim business partners, it can be problematic to schedule business meetings during the fasting time of Ramadan and its joyful culmination during Hari Raya (known in the Middle East as the Eid holidays). For Chinese business partners, avoid scheduling meetings during the two weeks of the Lunar (or Chinese) New Year. Major celebrations for Malaysia’s Indian (Tamil) community are Deepavali and Thaipusam.
The U.S. Embassy will observe the following official U.S. and Malaysian holidays. Our offices are closed on these days. Check the Embassy’s website for the most up-to-date listing: Embassy Holidays
The following is the list of holidays, which will be observed during calendar year 2019:
Holiday
Day of Observation
U.S./Malaysian
New Year's Day
January 1
Tuesday
US
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 21
Monday
Thaipusam
January 22
Malaysian
Federal Territory Day
February 1
Friday
Chinese New Year** (2 days)
February 5 & 6
Tuesday & Wednesday
Washington’s Birthday
February 18
Workers Day
May 1
Wednesday
Memorial Day
May 27
Hari Raya Puasa** (2 days)
June 5 & 6
Wednesday & Thursday
Independence Day
July 4
Thursday
Hari Raya Qurban*
August 12
National Day
August 31
Saturday
Labor Day
September 2
King's Birthday
September 9
Malaysia Day
September 16
Columbus Day
October 14
Deepavali*
October 28
Veterans Day
November 11
Thanksgiving Day
November 28
Christmas Day
December 25
* Subject to change
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