Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told Parliament that the retirement age of uniformed officers would be raised gradually to 58 by 2030, up from 55 currently (Retirement age for uniformed officers to be 58 by 2030, March 3).

Presently, the mandatory retirement at 55 years of age is a waste of the experience and expertise acquired by uniformed officers over many years.

According to Mr Shanmugam, extending the retirement age has two benefits:

It would enable the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to tap the enormous experience of the more mature officers.

It would help the officers secure another job as a meaningful second career.

Perhaps the Government could consider giving MHA uniformed officers the option to retire at 55 years, while making the mandatory retirement age 60.

The chances of them securing a job after they leave the force would be greater if they were to retire at 55 than at the age of 58.

As for officers who might not be interested in looking for another job after leaving MHA, the proposed mandatory retirement at 60, instead of 58, would provide them with two more years of employment.

Pavithran Vidyadharan

Read more from the original source:
Forum: Consider optional retirement at 55 for uniformed officers - The Straits Times