Mahathir Mohamad was elected prime minister of Malaysia at the age of 92. Photograph: Lai Seng Sin/Reuters
For more and more people, retirement is anathema. Just ask Malaysia’s new PM
eave aside his recorded antisemitism, his homophobia, some hundred billion of missing ringgit on his watch and a habit of imprisoning political opponents, and there appears to be much to celebrate in the election of Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister of Malaysia. Principally, in some quarters, that Mr Mahathir, who just became the oldest leader in the world, will turn, in July, 93 years young.
Even accepting the slightly different demands on Mr Mahathir, as he sets about crushing a former protege and liberating an ex-enemy whom he had imprisoned for sodomy, this important demonstration that 93 is the new 73 is likely to be welcomed (as it was, as an inspiration, on the BBC’s Today programme) by the increasing numbers of older British workers who intend never to give up their jobs – and not necessarily for financial reasons.
While the abolition of the mandatory retirement age in 2011 was good news for poorer pensioners and for victims of pervasive workplace ageism, its abolition has also enabled more privileged employees to mimic the sort of high status aversion to retirement expressed by didactic magnates such as Warren Buffett or Richard Branson. From, for instance, the latter, writing in his blog: “I’ve never thought [of] work as work and play as play; to me, it’s all living and learning.”
When I was Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration Iraq and Jordan the United Nations’ retirement age was 62. Somehow my contract kept being renewed until my age of 65. One reason probably was that Baghdad was not really a ‘favored’ duty station. At age 65 however the Head Office insisted that I should be retired. 30 years early when we consider Mahathir Mohammad’s age. The Director General of IOM also is in his 80s. (my successor was kind enough to grant me a ‘post-retirement’ contract enabling me to work until age 67. Well, now the only jobs open for me may be Prime Minister? Ah – as I have been mostly out of my own country I do not have a good political base /back home’. Ah well… let’s see what the future still brings.
Rafiq— MM is a gift, amazing leader, a oldest leader of a nation in the world.
Rafiq— who knows if God want you, you cannot avoid it.
God will not change your condition if you do not start it.
It seems the age does not matter, you are still younger than MM.
My first suggestion to you Rafiq,
Obey Human Right, justice for all, freedom of expression and religion— last but not least respect my right to express my tought and belief. Please stop delating my comment, insya Allah God bless you and familyAmen..He he he
All ❤️