HR Minister: Employers Must Give Employees Time Off or Leave if GE15 Voting Day is a Working Day

With the general election coming up, one of the biggest worries for citizens is what were to happen if it were to fall on a weekday, just as it did back in GE14 when voters went to the polls on a Wednesday.

It appears that it shouldn’t be an issue this year as Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan has recently said that employers must give employees time off or leave if polling day for GE15 is a working day.

According to BERNAMA, he said that this is the right of every Malaysian citizen, aged 18 and above, to vote and perform their duties.

“The employers must comply with the government’s directive. They must allow employees to vote. Whether the employees are given occasional public holidays (cuti peristiwa), replacement leave or time off,” he told reporters after presenting Deepavali contributions here yesterday (October 16).

Saravanan said action will be taken against any employer who does not comply with this directive.

Dates for the general election will be set by the Election Commission on October 20. Parliament was dissolved on Oct 10 and a general election must be held within 60 days.

Do you think that this move would allow an even higher voter turnout on polling day?

Also read: Sarawak Considering to Offer Subsidies For Sarawakians to Return & Vote in GE15