60 years retirement age, Cuepacs and the Malaysian civil service
On Wednesday night, I was with a group of friends and we discussed among other stuff, religious and social issues. Thursday night however is usually reserved for a different set of friends. Both sets of friends are oblivious of each other but are all my close friends.
The topic of discussion was Cuepacs and its demands. When told that the retirement age had been extended to 60, there was no euphoria or false bravado. The previous year, some in the gang had been vocal about not wanting to retire late and wanting to still enjoy life while they still can.
This time around, bugged by the unprecedented global inflation, some voiced relief they would have a longer working and productive life. Most of them married late anyway and some of their children would still need financial backing at that time.
In my opinion the previous set age of 56 is too early to retire. 60 would be a better age. Why ask men and women who are at their prime to step down when they have so much to offer the nation? it doesn’t cost the government much anyway as the government will delay paying their pension. The gratuity will also be delayed. I predict there will be savings in medical expenses for the government when the new retirement age is implemented.
Surprising when told there would probably be no honorarium, most of those present shrugged it off. They hadn’t been expecting it anyway. They cheered the reinstatement of critical and housing allowances, pension payment to be based on one’s actual years of service and the scrapping of the PTK exam.
Some of course will moan and rant about deadwood and also about how this will limit employment chances for the young ones. What do you think of this issue?
I dun know why… I can’t wait for my retirement!!! Now, I have to work for another 4 more years. *sigh* Anyway, see it at the right perspective, it is a good move. Yeah.. we need a few more years to work to pay our loans and taking care of our young ones at home. If I have a kid now, by the time I pension, he/she will still be in university. If he/she is a scholarship holder, I will not be too worry. But if he/she isn’t?
But I think garment should still give us the option of early retirement. Sorry for the selfish thought.
And.. I dun think this will limit the employment chances for the young one because we always have new technologies here and there and the young one is usually the energetics one to make sure it works.
I agree with yr sentiments but there might be some who feel that to slog on until 60 is a very long time. However money to survive is a very strong consideration.
The extension of the retirement age is meant to help the Malays as they form the majority of civil servants. Also, they just ‘goyang kaki’ and get paid, so who’s complaining?
Secondly, the PM seems to have forgotten those pensioners. Will their pension be recalculated to take into consideration the actual number of years of service? Otherwise, it will be grossly unfair to this group.
I hope someone fights for the rights of the pensioners ref to the actual number of years of service. like all other Malaysians I hope in the future with the changing times there will b a more equitable distribution of jobs amongst all the races in the country.
Extending retirement age is good, for those who can still work. Nowadays people are living longer and have better health. Plus, those nearest retirement will be earning their highest salary… so it will be sad to let it go.
I support the extension of retirement age say to 59 or 60 years. I retired 3 years ago and at 59 now I feel I am still healthy and fit to work but however fate would have it that at 56 I had to throw down my tools and call it a day and then stay back home to rot and waste away.
I also feel that those born in the post-war years were a very deprived lot. This cohort who have retired or about to retire soon did not have much education and job opportunities when they were young and what salary or pension they are getting have been barely sufficient to support a growing family. What is more they have missed out all the good perks like all the different types of allowances that the civil service is getting now -eg. the housing allowance, the service allowance, the study allowance plus also the promotion opportunities. I feel that this people who were at the forefront in the period of nation-building should be rightly compensated today for their sacrifice by extending their retirement age so that they can work and mentor a little bit longer and thereby can still maintain some form of respect and dignity among the younger people.