Published on Malaysiakini, 26 May 2025
I watched social media timelines ignite the moment Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said suggested raising Malaysia’s compulsory retirement age to 65.
Within hours, her name was trending, driven by thousands of comments that ran roughly 95 percent negative.
The themes felt familiar: graduates lamenting blocked career paths, employees joking that they would “work until the hearse arrives”, and sceptics asking whether the government simply hoped to postpone pension payouts.
Azalina explained that many 60-year-olds are still vigorous and eager to contribute, but this narrative was drowned out by viral cries and memes before policy analysts could weigh in.
Yet she touched a legitimate concern. Life expectancy has climbed, savings often fall short, and expertise does not evaporate when the calendar flips at 60.
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