Seasoned newcomers: Nurlina and Koh working on documents at the MBPP office in Komtar.— ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: For many, retirement means pursuing personal interests and adjusting to the end of a steady income.
But some continue giving back to the community, earning a modest living by putting their experience to good use.
Among them is former landscape maintenance worker A. Poopalan, who now tends an urban farm managed by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) in Pulau Tikus.
Bringing decades of experience with him, the 62-year-old cares for rows of vegetables, including spinach and cucumbers.
“I oversaw landscape maintenance at a nearby cemetery for 36 years before retiring in January.
“After that I did not do anything until I found out about a gardener vacancy with the council.
“I still feel I can stay active by doing something meaningful,” said Poopalan when met at the site recently.
The father of three, whose children are all working, lives nearby with his wife, who has taken up a cleaning job to help support the family.
Poopalan’s new role was made possible through MBPP’s Senior Citizen Empowerment Programme, an initiative to help those aged 60 and above who are still healthy and willing to return to the working world.
The programme offers flexible part-time employment designed to keep seniors socially active, mentally engaged, and financially supported.
Participants work six-hour shifts from 8am to 2pm, earning RM8 per hour, which adds up to around RM1,000 per month.
For a retired teacher who only wished to be known as Koh, her skills in document handling and language landed her a role at the MBPP’s Smart City Unit in Komtar.
There, she contributes her expertise in urban digital development, working in a modern, air-conditioned office surrounded by computers.
The English and Mathematics teacher for 30 years retired with only savings in the Employees Provident Fund.
“This new job allows me to stay active, occupied, and regain my confidence without the demands of a typical full-time role.
“This initiative is more than just offering retirees like me a job. It also recognises the skills, wisdom and contributions that senior citizens still have to offer.
“Retirement should not signal the end of being useful, but a new beginning,” she said.
Koh, 70, hopes such efforts will inspire a cultural shift in how society views ageing.
Bashir looking on as Poopalan explains details about his work on the MBPP farm in Pulau Tikus.
MBPP Planning and Development Department director Mohd Bashir Sulaiman said the programme has opened up job opportunities for senior citizens and retirees while enhancing the council’s community services.
He added that the programme serves as a vital framework for developing sustainable national policies.
“Through this programme, senior citizens and retirees are given flexible job opportunities to supplement their income and safeguard their welfare.
“While staying active, it also provides a way for them to feel included in society.
“They can share their insights and participate in council decision-making processes to ensure that no one, including seniors, is left behind,” said Bashir on Thursday.
He said this is the first time MBPP has opened up job vacancies specifically for senior citizens, with 10 already hired in the pilot phase.
Among the jobs are cleaning and maintenance of MBPP-owned public toilets, upkeep of community parks, maintenance of offices and council premises, as well as cleaning and preserving tourism areas and heritage sites under the council’s jurisdiction.
Those interested can contact MBPP Planning and Development Department’s assistant coordinator Nurlina Gafoor at 04-259 2418.
