A story that recently went viral has left many Malaysians shocked and heartbroken, after claims surfaced that a teacher in Seremban was unable to attend her own wedding because her application for leave was denied.
It all started with a social media post where a user shared that their mother had attended a wedding in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, only to find that neither the bride nor the groom was present.
Photo via iStock
The post claimed that the bride, a teacher, was denied leave by her school principal due to a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting, "The principal did not allow her to take leave due to a PTA meeting. So she couldn't attend her own wedding. It’s heartbreaking," the post read.
The teacher reportedly applied for leave three months in advance. However, she only found out her application was rejected three weeks before the wedding. By then, invitations had already been sent out. The bride only managed to arrive at the event around 6pm, after navigating public holiday traffic.
At first, many thought the story was fake. Among the sceptics was popular educator Mohd Fadli Salleh, who admitted he initially dismissed the post: "I really thought this was slander at first. Like seriously, who doesn't get leave for their own wedding?" he said in a Facebook post on 11 May.
He later confirmed the incident was real and expressed disappointment over the situation. "Turns out it's true. Happened in Seremban. The bride was too obedient and followed an order that clearly didn’t make sense."
Fadli also criticised school leadership that lacks compassion and understanding. "A job becomes enjoyable when the administrator is understanding and makes things easier. Staff will respect and work harder out of appreciation. But if you're the kind of boss who is needlessly strict, it's a recipe for stress."
As the post continued to gain attention online, the original user issued a public apology.
They explained that the story was based on what the bride’s mother-in-law had shared and that their intention was not to harm anyone’s reputation, "I only shared the situation out of sadness. I realise now it wasn’t my place to tell the story, and I understand it may have affected others," they wrote.
Aku mati-mati ingat hal ni cuma fitnah. Tak masuk akal kot, hari perkahwinan tak diberi cuti. Rupanya benda ni...
Posted by Mohd Fadli Salleh on Sunday 11 May 2025
Meanwhile, the Negeri Sembilan Education Department said they have not received any official report of the incident. State education director Khalidah Omar told the New Straits Times that the department is currently verifying the matter.
In Malaysia, public sector employees, including teachers, are entitled to apply for leave for personal matters such as weddings. Leave applications are subject to approval, but under fair and reasonable conditions. Denying leave without valid justification, especially for major life events, can be seen as unjust.
Employees facing issues with leave approval are encouraged to escalate the matter through the appropriate channels such as the Education Department or Public Service Department (JPA).
If true, this case serves as a reminder of the importance of empathy and proper procedure in the workplace.
