🇲🇾 Festivals in Malaysia
Malaysia is a multicultural country with a variety of ethnic and religious festivals. Here are the major festivals celebrated in Malaysia:
📌 1. Islamic Festivals (Hari Kebesaran Islam)
(Celebrated by Malays and the Muslim community)
- Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr) – Celebrates the end of Ramadan (📅 1st Syawal, Islamic calendar)
- Hari Raya Haji (Eid al-Adha) – The “Festival of Sacrifice” (📅 10th Zulhijjah, Islamic calendar)
- Maulidur Rasul – Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
- Awal Muharram – Islamic New Year
📌 2. Chinese Festivals (Perayaan Masyarakat Cina)
(Celebrated by the Chinese community)
- Chinese New Year (Tahun Baru Cina) – The most important celebration for Chinese Malaysians (📅 1st day of the Lunar calendar)
- Cheng Beng (Tomb-Sweeping Day) – Honoring ancestors (📅 Lunar March)
- Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival) – Celebrated with dragon boat races and eating rice dumplings (📅 5th day of the 5th Lunar month)
- Hungry Ghost Festival (Perayaan Zhongyuan) – A festival to pay respects to deceased ancestors (📅 15th day of the 7th Lunar month)
- Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival) – Celebrated with mooncakes and lanterns (📅 15th day of the 8th Lunar month)
📌 3. Indian Festivals (Perayaan Masyarakat India)
(Celebrated by the Indian community)
- Thaipusam – A Hindu festival honoring Lord Murugan, famous for its grand processions and acts of devotion
- Deepavali (Diwali) – The “Festival of Lights,” symbolizing the victory of light over darkness
📌 4. East Malaysian Indigenous Festivals (Perayaan Kaum Peribumi Sabah & Sarawak)
- Hari Gawai (Sarawak) / Pesta Kaamatan (Sabah) – A harvest festival celebrated by indigenous communities (📅 June 1st)
📌 5. National Public Holidays (Cuti Umum Kebangsaan)
- Hari Merdeka (National Day) – August 31st, celebrating Malaysia’s independence
- Malaysia Day (Hari Malaysia) – September 16th, commemorating the formation of Malaysia
- Labour Day (Hari Pekerja) – May 1st, a public holiday for workers
- New Year’s Day (Tahun Baru) – January 1st, marking the start of the new year
📌 6. Christian Festivals (Perayaan Kristian)
- Christmas (Hari Krismas) – December 25th, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
- Good Friday – A Christian observance of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion (Public holiday in Sabah & Sarawak only)
Malaysia’s multicultural society allows for shared celebrations among different ethnic groups. A unique tradition in Malaysia is the “Open House” (Rumah Terbuka) culture, where major festivals like Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and Christmas are celebrated with open invitations for friends and the public to enjoy food and festivities together! 🎊😊
