PUTRAJAYA, Nov 10 — The government has agreed to grant unrecorded leave (CTR) in conjunction with the Deepavali festival to federal civil servants of Hindu faith serving in Sarawak with effect from November 9 2023.

The matter was stated in a circular dated November 9 2023 signed by Public Services Department (PSD) director-general Datuk Zulkapli Mohamed which was uploaded on the official PSD Facebook page.

According to the circular, if Deepavali falls on a working day, officers can apply for CTR on that day while if Deepavali falls on a Sunday, officers can apply for CTR on the following working day.

"In that regard, as Deepavali in 2023 falls on Sunday (Nov 12), then officers who are of Hindu faith can apply for CTR on Monday (Nov 13) to celebrate Deepavali," according to the circular.

Since 2018, the government has been granting CTR in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration for one day, which is the next day (the second day) to Hindu civil servants.

The CTR does not apply to the state of Sarawak since Deepavali is not a public holiday in Sarawak.

The Sarawak government has agreed to give CTR in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration to Sarawak state public servants who are Hindus through Sarawak State Employment Circular Number 26 Year 2023 dated November 9 2023.

The CTR in conjunction with Deepavali celebration for Hindu federal civil service officers serving in the state of Sarawak which is effective from the date the letter is issued has also extended to all heads of statutory bodies of Sarawak.

Previously, the government agreed that the CTR in conjunction with the Deepavali festival which falls on Nov 13 (Monday) will be brought to Nov 14 (Tuesday) for public service officers of the Hindu faith in states whose weekly holiday is Sunday. — Bernama