Malaysia has Deepavali as a federal public holiday, except in Sarawak. The holiday is especially associated with Malaysia’s Indian and Hindu communities and is included in the country’s federal holiday framework.
Malaysia’s public holidays combine nationwide federal observances with state and territorial holidays. Deepavali is listed as a federal holiday across most of the country, while Sarawak is the notable exception. Sarawak has its own public-holiday ordinance and does not gazette Deepavali as a state public holiday.
That exception does not mean Deepavali is absent from Sarawakian life. Hindu communities may still celebrate with temple visits, family gatherings, prayers, food, and open-house traditions. Public-holiday status and cultural observance are related but not identical: a festival can be widely celebrated without being a statutory day off everywhere.
Malaysia’s other major public holidays include Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Wesak Day, Christmas, Malaysia Day, and National Day. The Deepavali rule is therefore a question about Malaysia’s federal holiday structure, not about which country celebrates the festival.