THE government needs to give serious thought to the recent call by Cuepacs to raise the retirement age of government employees to 60 years.

Currently, civil servants retire at 55 or 56 as the case may be, based on their contract. Cuepacs has cited a number of reasons for wanting the extension. However, the government needs to ensure that the extension in retirement age will benefit both the government and society.

The government, if it ever decides to increase the age of retirement, should look into various factors concerning employees such as their service record, disciplinary problems, health status, skills, etc, before deciding on the issue of extension.

In fact, the government should use the extra five-year term demanded by the civil service body as a carrot to bring about greater efficiency, productivity and discipline from the workers.

Only those with a good performance record should be given the privilege of working for the government longer. This will ensure that the government employees will put in their best during their service and be free from disciplinary problems and also maintain themselves in good health by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The three factors — good working record, good disciplinary record and good health — should be the basic essentials for any extension of the retirement age.

Should the extended retirement age become a right for all employees, then the present shortcomings in the civil service such as inefficiency, apathy, indiscipline, red tape, corruption, moonlighting, malingering, lack of focus on work, insubordination and a host of other maladies will continue to persist.

The extended retirement age should become an incentive which only the deserving should be given. The extended five-year term should also be subject to a condition that the extension will be reviewed on a year-to-year basis to prevent slackening in performance.

Cuepacs needs to understand that with the recent big salary hike any extension of the retirement age will cost the government more in terms of expenditure, and also restrict the recruitment of younger people equipped with the latest technological skills into the civil service.

Having an ageing civil service which does not contribute much by way of productivity and performance will be a liability to the government, not to mention the increased cost of sick leave and medical care for the old workers. It would be better to pension them off at 55.

An independent and competent panel should be formed to ensure an impartial and proper assessment of civil servants who want to go for the extended retirement age and the panel should conduct an in-depth check on the employees’ service record over the years, the present health of the employees, unique capabilities, skills, etc before a decision is made.

Only a small number could be selected but the five-year extension could be the best incentive for the employees to give of their best during their long service.

Additionally, industrious workers could also reap other benefits whilst being focused on qualifying for an extended retirement age.

V. THOMAS, Sungai Buloh, Selangor

Source: NST – January 10, 2008