Chinese New Year in Malaysia
The most anticipated celebration for Malaysians of Chinese ancestry.
Chinese New Year is the most anticipated holiday period each year for the millions of Malaysians of Chinese ancestry. Also called the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, it is dated according to the Chinese lunar calendar and therefore falls on a different Gregorian date each year, somewhere in January or February.
Families clean their homes thoroughly beforehand to sweep out bad luck, buy new clothes, and gather for an elaborate reunion dinner on the eve of the new year. Traditions include tossing the prosperity salad "Yee Sang", giving ang pow (red packets of money), lion and dragon dances, and lighting firecrackers. The festival is celebrated over fifteen days, concluding with Chap Goh Mei.
It is observed nationally, making it one of only a handful of festivals that closes the entire country for two consecutive days.
Published dates
| Year | Date | Observed in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tue, 17 February 2026 | National | |
| 2027 | Sat, 6 February 2027 | National | |
| 2028 | Wed, 26 January 2028 | National |
What to notice in the calendar
The table records Chinese New Year as a nationwide holiday. Dates for several years are kept together so changes in weekday and state coverage are easy to compare.
At least one listed date falls on or next to a weekend. The long-weekend calendar shows the actual sequence of workdays, weekends and holidays for each year.