The government will consider announcing Friday, July 8, as a special holiday for states working on Friday, chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa said today.

He said the matter must go through the consultation stage first before any decision could be made.

"I am not sure if the answer is positive or negative. Previously, there has never been a special (peristiwa) holiday for civil servants," Ali told reporters after a special meeting of the chief secretary to the government with members of the Congress of Unions of Employees in Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) in Putrajaya today.

Cuepacs president Azih Muda, in his speech before the meeting, had suggested that the government considers announcing Friday, July 8, as a special holiday.

Azih described the day as being an unproductive day for civil servants and could save on electricity while the civil servants would give less focus on their work as the first day of Syawal was expected to fall on July 6, which is a Wednesday.

- Bernama