KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — This year will not be the first time the national Labour Day celebration is postponed as it happened in 2013 too, says Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot.

Riot said when he was appointed minister in the ministry on May 18, 2013, the Labour Day celebration was held on June 23 that year and not May 1 was normally done.

"Remember that. It has been practised before. I have already discussed it with the secretary-general and it is in the best interest of the country and everyone that it is held after the 14th General Elections (GE14),” he told reporters after attending the convocation ceremony of the Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) scheme here yesterday.

He was commenting on his statement yesterday which indicated that the Labour Day celebrations this year may not be held on May 1 but only after one "big event”, referring to GE14.

Riot said although the actual date of the general election is not known, he believed it would be very likely that May 1 would fall during the campaign period.

He added that he hoped all parties would focus on GE14 rather than the Labour Day celebration. — Bernama