JOHOR BAHRU, January 5– The shift of Johor's weekend holidays to Saturday and Sunday has been met with positive feedback from local residents.

This new schedule allows families to spend more quality time together, participating in recreational activities.

A survey conducted by RTM around Taman Merdeka in Johor Bahru found that the change, effective this week, has been well-utilized for leisure and family bonding.

"Alhamdulillah, everyone is aware now that Johor has shifted to a Saturday-Sunday holiday. I can spend time with my family now, as my husband had a Friday-Saturday schedule, and I had Saturday-Sunday. It was difficult to find time together before, but now we make the most of the opportunity to be with family," said Nurasyidah Mustazar, a librarian at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

"Before, we mostly had Fridays and Saturdays off, but now my sister works for the government. We can spend Saturdays and Sundays together as a family. It's easier to plan holidays this way," said trader Maisara Mustazar.

"Since I work for myself, my holidays usually don’t align with my wife’s schedule. She has to work while I’m off, so we only have one day together. Now, we can spend time with our children," said entrepreneur Khairil Muazam Shah.

"It's wonderful to spend time together now. Before, when he worked, I was off, and when he was off, I worked. It was difficult to take a vacation for just one day. Now, he can take Friday off, and I take Sunday, so we can enjoy it together," said Nursufina Abdullah, a registration assistant at the National Registration Department.

On October 7 of last year, the Acting Sultan of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, announced that Johor's weekend holidays would return to Saturday and Sunday starting January 1 of this year.