Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Mohd Nor has claimed that Thaipusam had not been a holiday in the state, except "in the last two years".

His political secretary, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, meanwhile, claimed in a Facebook post today that Thaipusam was only declared an occasional holiday (cuti peristiwa) in Kedah in 2017, and not in previous years.

An English daily, in a fact check, also gave the impression that Thaipusam was only declared an occasional holiday in Kedah from 2017, and did not mention it being a holiday in previous years.

However, Kedah has actually observed Thaipusam as an occasional holiday since 2014...