Malaysian Loses Job After Refusing to Cancel Approved Annual Leave, Sparking Debate Online

In Malaysia, every employee is entitled to annual leave as part of their basic rights under the Employment Act 1955. Depending on years of service, employees are granted a minimum of eight to sixteen days of paid leave each year. 

Once annual leave is approved by an employer, it is considered a mutual agreement and employees generally have the right to enjoy their break without unfair interruption.

However, a recent case shared online has raised questions about whether employers are respecting these rights.

malaysian loses job after refusing to cancel approved annual leave, sparking debate onlinePhoto via XiaoHongShu (打工小智)

A Malaysian worker allegedly lost their job after refusing to cancel a vacation that had been planned and approved a month earlier. According to a post by netizen 打工小智 on XiaoHongShu, their friend had submitted a leave request in advance, received approval, and made all travel arrangements including flight tickets.

But as the holiday drew near, the employer reportedly asked them to cancel everything and return to work, claiming there was an urgent matter that required their presence.

Shocked by the sudden demand, the employee explained that it was impossible to cancel the trip at the last minute since everything had already been paid for and confirmed. Instead of understanding, the employer allegedly questioned their commitment, saying, “What’s more important, work or fun? If you don’t come back to the office now, don’t bother coming back at all.”

Believing that the company should have managed its internal issues without disrupting their pre-approved leave, the employee proceeded with the trip. But when they returned, they were met with a termination letter from human resources, citing “disobedience towards superiors during work.”

The incident has since sparked debate online about workplace fairness and the importance of respecting employee rights. As 打工小智 concluded in their post, employees deserve the basic right to rest, and companies should not penalise them for taking leave that was legitimately granted.

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