KUALA LUMPUR: The government will review the proposal to extend the retirement age to 65 years, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
However, the Prime Minister added that the matter has not yet been discussed in the Cabinet.
"The proposal has not been brought to the Cabinet. Typically, we would hold discussions first before presenting it to the Cabinet.
"Let them first study the implications, including financial impact, demographics, job creation, and other relevant factors, as the proposal does merit attention and proper consideration," he said after attending the Anugerah Hadiah Bahasa launching ceremony on Thursday (May 22).
Earlier, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, urged the unity government to consider the move.
She said many civil servants who retired at the current mandatory age of 60 "still felt young and productive."
Azalina added that for judges, the mandatory retirement age is 65, with an option to serve for another six months, while in some Asean countries, the limit is set at 70.
"Maybe the government should look at 65 years as the new retirement because many who reach 60 are still capable, and the proportion of 60-year-olds in the population is growing.
"Some other countries are moving to 65, and the government should study this. This is my personal view," added Azalina.
