Malaysia gears up as holidays loom

Malaysia gears up as holidays loom

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Police and rescue teams have begun gearing
up for an anticipated surge in road accidents, as schools closed
yesterday and thousands of Malaysians start rushing home for
family reunions ahead of Chinese and Moslem festivals beginning
tomorrow.

In Kuala Lumpur, police expect 1.5 million, or three quarters
of the city's population, to depart for home towns and villages
by Sunday in the five-day "double festival" holiday stretch.

As with last year, Malaysians are again enjoying a long
holiday break as the Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Friday,
followed by the Moslem Aidil Fitri celebration, which is expected
to fall either on Saturday or Sunday to mark the end of the
Ramadhan fasting month.

Schools will be shut for 12 days. Most private companies as
well as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange close from today, while
all government departments from tomorrow, and will reopen on
Wednesday.