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Kota Kinabalu: Sabah State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong on Tuesday announced that December 24 is a public holiday for Sabah, as gazetted in the State Government Gazette GN 310/2019 dated Dec. 19, last year. The previous Warisan Plus-led State Government declared Dec. 24 as an additional public holiday in conjunction with Christmas celebration on Dec. 25 which started last year.  Sabah is the only State in Malaysia with a public holiday on Christmas eve, placing the occasion on the same importance as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Kaamatan which all have two-day breaks.

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who was the then Chief Minister, made the declaration on Dec 11, last year, so as to enable those celebrating Christmas to return home earlier.

It was learnt that the new GRS State Government toyed with the idea of still observing two days but moving the additional day to Dec. 26, instead of Dec. 24.

 However, the move was not favoured by church leaders in view of those going back to be with their families for church services on the eve.