The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has appealed to the government and Bank Negara Malaysia to consider allowing an extra holiday on July 8 for workers in the financial sector.

NUBE General Secretary, J. Solomon, said this will not affect the sector as the government departments would also likely to be closed on that day.

Solomon was commenting on the announcement by the government that federal department civil servants in states where the normal working days were from Monday to Friday, will enjoy an extra holiday if Hari Raya were to fall on July 6.

He told Bernama that even schools were closed for a week and it was appropriate that bank workers be allowed to enjoy the extra holiday with their families and friends.

Solomon said if the workers were asked on work on that day their productivity would be affected "as they would be in festive mood, looking forward to going home early to be with their families and relatives."

"Therefore, it would be prudent to allow them an off day so that they could come back happily after the break and continue to do their best," he said.

In a circular, the Public Services Department said the off-day was only for this year and could not be made a a precedent for whatever purpose in the future.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Employers Federation said the private sector employers need not follow the government's lead as the holiday was not gazetted.