Holidays and festivals

December

Christmas Day (25th: public holiday) Christmas in Malaysia is a commercial spectacle these days with fairy and decorations and tropical Santa Clauses - although not compare with celebrations in Singapore Mostly celebrated on coast and ignored on the more Muslim east coast. Midnight mass is Christmas service held in churches throughout Malaysia

Islamic holidays
The timing of Islamic festivals is an art rather than a science and is calculate - basis of local sightings of various phases of the moon. Thus dates are and can vary by a day or two Muslim festivals move forward by around 9-10 days year. To check on dates for 2001, see the following websites: www.regit.com/Malaysia/holliday/ holiday htm or www.asianinfo -by-cj.com.

March
Hari Raya Haji (movable; public holiday, in Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Te-rengganu Hari Raya Qurban is also a public holiday) celebrated by Muslims to mark the of Zulhijqah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar when pilgrims celebrate their

Return from the Haji to Mecca. In the morning, prayers are offered and later, families hold open house who can afford it sacrifice goats or cows to be distributed to the poor many Malays have the title Haji In their name, meaning they have made the men on the Haji wear a white skull-hat. The Haji is one of the five keystones of Islam

Maal Hijrah (Awal Muharram) (movable public holiday) marks the first day of the Muslim calendar, marking the Prophet Muhammad's journey from Mecca to medina on the lunar equivalent of 16 July Religious discussions and lectures commemorate wesak day(movable, public holiday)

Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Maulidur Rasul) (movable public holiday, 15 June 2000) to commemorate Prophet Muhammad's birthday in 571 AD, procession and Koran recitals and most big towns

Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan lsmail(movable,40ctober2000,Jo'nor).Israk and Mikraj October 2000 kedah and Negeri Sembilan.

Nuzul Quran (Movable, Kelantan. Pahang, Perak, PerIis, Selangor and Terengqanu, 13 December 2000).

Awal Ramadan (movable: public holiday Johor and Melaka, 27-28 December; of Ramadan, a month of fasting for all Muslims-and by implication, , this month Muslims abstain from all food and drink (as well as smoking from sunrise to sundown - if they are very strict, Muslims do not even own saliva during daylight hours. It is strictly adhered to in the Islamic states of Kelantan and Terengganu. Every evening for 30 days before breaking of fast, stalls are sec up which sell traditional Malay cakes and my people exempt from fasting are the elderly as well as women who a,re menstruating.

Hari raya Puasa or Aidil Fitri (movabLe: public holiday, 27-28 December 2000) mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and is a day of prayer and celebration in order for Hari Raya to be declared, the new moon of Syawal has to be sighted if it is fasting continues for another day it is the most important time of families to get together; Malays living in towns and cities balek (return home to their village), where it is 'open house' for relatives and
al Malay delicacies are served. Hair Raya is also enthusiastically an Muslims.

State holidays
Only sultan and governors' birthday celebrations are marked with processions and festivities state holidays can disrupt travel itineraries - particularly in east coast states where they may run for several days,
Sultan of kedah's birthday (30 January 2000, Kedah). Sultan of Terengganu's birthday 22 January2000, Terengganu).

Federal territory Day (1 February 2000, KL arid Labuan'.
Istallation of sultan of Terengganu Day (4 March 2000, Terengganu); Sultan of March birthday (11 march 2000 Selangor); Sultan of Kelantan's birthday (30 31 march kelantan).

Sultan of johor's birthday (8 April 2000,Johor);Declaration of Melaka as Historic April history city (15 April 2000 Melaka) Sultan of Perak's birthday" (19 April 2000, Perak)

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