KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 - Call it populism or an election move but schoolchildren will be happy – they are getting an extra holiday, courtesy of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
His announcement today that state education directors have been told to approve requests for an extra day off to celebrate Deepavali comes in the middle of the Bagan Pinang by-election campaign in which Indian votes are seen as crucial.
Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said the ministry had received many requests from parents and schools.
“The decision was made to enable parents to make plans for their families to travel earlier and avoid traffic jams,” he said after having a look at students sitting for the first day of the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination at SMK Presint 8 (1) on Wednesday.
Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said schools could opt to take either occasional holidays (cuti peristiwa) which need not be replaced, or replacement holidays.
“Schools taking the replacement holiday need to hold their classes on Oct 31,” he added.
Deepavali falls next Saturday, while voters in Bagan Pinang go to the polls this Sunday.
Indians make up about 20 per cent of voters in Bagan Pinang.
While Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to win the vote because the seat is a traditional stronghold for the ruling coalition, Indian votes could turn the tide if the contest is closer than expected.
There are concerns that Indian sentiment may have turned against BN.
This is a result of the recent controversy surrounding protests by Malay-Muslim residents against the relocation of a Hindu temple to their neighbourhood. Umno was blamed for instigating the protests.
But BN leaders have been working hard, making direct overtures to the Indian community.
Umno leaders have also been bypassing the MIC, whose president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu is seen as a major liability.
Samy Vellu has become a highly unpopular figure with the Indian community, and has come under intense pressure to quit.
In the ongoing Bagan Pinang campaign, Umno leaders have even made it a point not to be photographed with Samy Vellu.
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