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)