KUCHING: Some are for the increase of the retirement age to 65, while some are against it.
Stick to the current retirement age, said Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) president Munan Laja.
“At this age, they (civil servants/workers) should be ready enough to retire,” he told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
On September 2, Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran had stated that the government would study the suggestion by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) to raise the mandatory retirement age to 65.
“I do not see any reason for the employment sector to go beyond 60 as we grow old,” opined Munan.
He felt that the country must occasionally inject new and young minds into the executive arm of the nation in order to progress.
“SWP appreciates the civil service and private sector for all the hard work they contribute to spurring Malaysia’s development and growth,” he said.
He added that SWP is always concerned about workers’ welfare and is encouraging the government to look into their needs at all times.
Munan also urged the government to equip the nation’s human resource with elevated skills, expertise and new technology, and not depend too much on foreign labour.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Borneo Studies director Professor Dr Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce voiced his support for MTUC’s suggestion to raise the retirement age to 65.
However, he explained, “This should be an option. Some people are wiser at the age of 60, but again wisdom does not necessarily come with age.”
He therefore felt that the age of retirement should depend on the individual’s preferences.
“Some are mentally and physically healthy at 60 and 70, and some even at 94. But some would prefer to retire early to spend more time with their loved ones.
“Would it affect the young generation? Yes, if it is merely a job that requires physical (ability) and less mental ability, but not if the job requires higher-order thinking, experience and wisdom,” Dr Shahren stated.
