Bosses must give employees time off or leave to vote

Employers must give employees time off or leave if the election day falls on a working day, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan says.

He said it was the right of every Malaysian citizen aged 18 and above to vote.

"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 in Tapah yesterday.

Saravanan said action would be taken against employers who do not comply with this directive.

The Election Commission is due to meet on Oct 20, to discuss and set important dates for the 15th general election, after Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10.