Prime minister had announced that if Aidilfitri falls on Saturday, the additional public holiday will be fixed for Friday, while the Raya public holiday falls on Monday. This is good news for working people, but, if one thinks carefully, this is not good news to working people, if there are too many leave and holidays in the country. This is because leave and holidays can affect the economy and cause inflation.

Factories and businesses will come to a standstill with no production during leave and holidays.

Business owners will have to shoulder costs because although not working during leave and holidays, workers are entitled to their salaries and other entitlements. To defray costs, business owners may be forced to increase their profit margins and this can cause inflation. Workers should not be happy with too many holidays because at the end of the day, workers will find goods and services more expensive as costs incurred by business owners will be shared by them.

The country is struggling with its economy riddled with debts and there are also too many citizens who hardly earned enough for their families. If a nation wants its economy to improve, debts be paid and its citizens, who mostly are working people, able to earn enough for their families, there is no substitute to hard work. To improve the economy, the government must think of how to increase production and definitely to allow too many leave and holidays to be celebrated will affect the economy. Billions of ringgit could be lost by the country as revenues just for not working for a day.

Government departments and many businesses are forced not to work during weekends. Public holidays (17 days), weekends (104 days), sick leave (14 days) and also compassionate leave. The law also provides paid leave entitlements to women in connection with pregnancy. According to the Employment Act 1955, a female employee involved in the private sector has been entitled to a total of 60 consecutive days of maternity leave while public sector employees were entitled to 90 days. This means almost one half each, people are not working but get paid and the employers have find ways to pay them. In order to pay them, the employers have to pass the burden to them (working people) by increasing price of goods and services for higher profit margins to offset/defray costs or salaries paid for non working days of the employees.

VOON LEE SHAN
President Parti Bumi Kenyalang
20 April, 2023