Johor sultan says he won't be rushed into making a decision on changing weekend rest days
Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar is considering a proposal by the state government to change Johor’s weekend rest days to Saturday-Sunday from the present Friday-Saturday.
File photo of Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar. (Photo: Facebook/Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar)
JOHOR BAHRU: Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar said that he will not be rushed into making a decision on the state government’s proposal to change Johor’s weekend rest days back to Saturday-Sunday from the present Friday-Saturday.
“I do not want to be rushed into this decision as I need to think this through thoroughly,” said Sultan Ibrahim in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Aug 23), adding that he will consider all the positives and negatives of the state government’s proposal and take into account all viewpoints on the matter.
He also said that there is no need for any hullabaloo or politicising on the issue.
“While I deliberate, I want the government to focus on Johor’s economic growth for the benefit of the people. The state government can send me any proposal, but I will consider and peruse them thoroughly before coming to any decision,” he added.
Sultan Ibrahim also urged all parties “to stop speculating on the issue” or pressuring him to make “a quick announcement”.
“I will make an announcement when I am completely sure and confident that it will be the best decision for the good of Johor,” said Sultan Ibrahim.
Earlier this month, Sultan Ibrahim met with Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi where the ruler was presented with the state government’s findings for the streamlining of the weekend rest days in Johor.
In a Facebook post after the meeting, Mr Onn Hafiz said that he hoped the ruler would give his best consideration on the matter for the people of Johor.
The state has been observing Friday and Saturday as its official weekend since January 2014 to allow Muslims to perform their Friday prayers, as decreed by the Johor ruler.
Other Malaysian states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu also have Friday and Saturday as their stipulated weekend rest days.
In June, Mr Onn Hafiz noted that there have been grouses from the people about the difference in rest days between the government and the private sector.
“The state government will review this matter so that parents and their children are able to have a rest on the same days,” he said then.
Mr Onn Hafiz added that the state government would then compile a report on the issue after meeting with representatives from various sectors, such as the government, public service, education, industrial players and the Malaysian Employers Federation.
He added that the decision to change rest days would affect some 576,000 students and more than 1.7 million workers in Johor, about 93 per cent of them in the private sector.
