Life not easy for pensioners

Life not easy for pensioners

JAKARTA (JP): Low pensions mean that life is not easy for
retired Indonesian government officials, according to one expert.

"Retired government officers, civil and military, and perhaps
most private sector workers too, not only look for new
activities, but also have to seek new jobs," Awaloedin Djamin
told a seminar on Saturday.

Djamin, who is also a retired general, said that retired
people often became new entrants to the labor market or became
new, disguised, job seekers. He added many people, especially
those who had held high positions, suffered from "post-power"
syndrome after retiring.

Chairman of the State Employees Affairs Board Soenarko agreed
with Djamin. "The pension paid to government officials is
generally not enough, so they get post-power syndrome."

Pension payments for government officials in Indonesia range
from Rp 78,000 ($33) to Rp 403,000 per month.

Retirement age for civil servants is between 56 and 65, while
military officers retire between the ages of 48 and 55. The
latest retirement age is for university professors, who may
continue in their profession until the age of 70.

There are currently 1,034,790 pensioners in Indonesia.

Changes in occupation and environment influence the human
psyche, Djamin argued, so that retiring from a career, especially
a prestigious and powerful one, could cause depression and
frustration.

Djamin urged officers to prepare themselves for retirement
before they reached it. He suggested some ways to prevent
frustration, including being aware that all positions ended
eventually, praying to God, and expecting the worst.

Apart from avoiding frustration, Soenarko suggested that
retired people spend their time engaged in useful and productive
activities.

After serving for a long time in the public service, he said,
government officials were a valuable labor resource, having good
work ethics.

"The work ethics and attitudes of retired people should be
utilized for development," he said.(29)