The additional public holiday for Hari Raya will put an unnecessary financial burden on businesses, said Mydin owner Ameer Ali Mydin, whose hypermarket business is set to lose RM500,000 because of it.

In a television interview last night, the businessperson advised the government not to simply take a populist decision and instead focus on targeted subsidies to help the rakyat.

"Who does not want an extra holiday? I also want a holiday. But, everybody has already made their plans for...