All Sikh civil servants will be given a day off on Vaisakhi Day from next year.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak made the announcement at the Vaisakhi national open house event at Dataran Merdeka on Monday,May 8, 2012.

"Beginning next year, all Sikh civil servants will be allowed to take "unrecorded leave" to celebrate Vaisakhi."

"This will allow them to fulfill their religious obligations on their day of worship," said Najib, to a thunderous round of applause from the crowd.

Vaisakhi festival celebrates the founding of the Khalsa on April 14 every year.

Najib also announced allocations for the Sikh community, totaling RM4 million (US$1.31 million), to build and repair existing gurdwaras.

Nearly 10,000 Sikh-Malaysians and others attended the event, some from faraway states.

The attendees were entertained by a variety of performances, including those from popular Bhangra duo Goldkartz.

[Courtesy: Jakarta Post]

May 8, 2012