CALL TO ENACT MALAYSIA DAY HOLIDAY IN EMPLOYMENT ACT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- A provision must be enacted under the
Employment Act 1955 to incorporate Sept 16, which is the Malaysia Day, as a
national public holiday, the Lower House of Parliament was told Tuesday.

Member of Parliament Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid said if the public holiday
was not stipulated in the act, employers might not recognise it.

Merely politicing about the national holiday is not good enough, he said
when debating the Supply Bill 2010.

Prime Minister Najib Razak declared Sept 16 as a national holiday from next
year in recognition of the position of Sabah and Sarawak in the federation.

Abdullah also proposed the setting up of a special labour court to deal with
labour issues as he claimed that most judges and lawyers were not well
acquainted with labour issues.

"There have been cases where the Industrial Court would transfer certain
cases to the High Court, resulting in the sentences imposed not always uniform
and against the workers rights," he said.
-- BERNAMA