Extending the healthspan of Malaysians is crucial if the country plans to raise the retirement age to 65, experts say.
Professor Tan Maw Pin, head of Geriatric Medicine at Universiti Malaya, highlighted that many workers face occupational and age-related illnesses that limit their ability to continue working beyond 65. She stressed that improving workplace safety, chronic disease prevention, and mandatory access to rehabilitation services are key to supporting an older workforce.
“Current health insurance rarely covers prevention or rehabilitation. We need a complete shift in how treatment is approached,” Tan said, noting that effective rehabilitation can reduce future insurance claims and prove cost-effective. She emphasised that prevention must be the priority, with nudges, incentives, and access to healthy lifestyles playing a central role in ensuring longer working lives and lowering claims costs.
When asked whether Malaysian workplaces are suitable for employees aged 60 to 65, Tan said conditions vary but warned that without proper occupational health measures, workers may face early retirement due to issues like lung disease, arthritis, back pain, and injuries from falls.
She added that raising the retirement age need not increase occupational health risks if the government supports employers with grants to make workplace adjustments and works with occupational therapists to facilitate safe adaptations. Tan advocated for universal and inclusive workplace design rather than special provisions for older workers, while acknowledging that flexible working arrangements will be needed to address age-related physical and cognitive challenges.
Tan also noted that Malaysians are living longer and healthier lives, aided by better education, but rising obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and the high cost of healthy food and exercise threaten future health gains.
Addressing concerns that extending retirement may reduce opportunities for younger workers, she said this is unlikely. “The goal is to address a dwindling productive workforce, not to push young people out. We also need to rethink work culture and organizational structures — promotions should not rely solely on seniority or age.”
