PUTRAJAYA: Labour Day on May 1 will still be a public holiday this year.
The Human Resources Ministry issued a statement today to clear up possible confusion on the matter following reports quoting its Minister, Datuk Seri Richard Riot, saying that this year's Workers' Day national celebration will be postponed.
"The new date to hold the 2018 Labour Day celebration will be announced later. The ministry hopes this statement will prevent further confusion on the matter," it said.
Riot was reported as saying on Thursday that he had discussed the postponement with the ministry's secretary-general, adding that the national-level celebration will be held after the 14th general election (GE14).
The ministry also stressed that the planned postponement of Labour Day celebrations this year is nothing new, as it was once done in 2013.
The 2013 May Day celebration was postponed to June 23, as the GE13 was held on May 5, he added.
Riot said that the delayed Labour Day celebrations will involve a large number of participants from several ministries and departments.
"(But for now), we should be focusing on the coming election.
“(And) the annual leave of most ministry employees have been frozen,” he added.