Malaysian Actor Chew Kin Wah, 61, Keeps Working Amid Retirement Age Debate

Malaysia is divided over whether people should continue working after the age of 60, with calls to raise the retirement age emerging alongside warnings that many workers may not have enough savings to stop working. Experts have cautioned that a policy applying the same rule to everyone could hurt workers.

Malaysian actor Chew Kin Wah is one example of someone who has chosen to remain professionally active beyond 60. Now 61, Chew continues to work, although he is being more selective about the projects he takes on. He accepts work when the right offers come to him.

For Malaysian television viewers, Chew is known for playing “Kee Tat” in the hit sitcom Kopitiam. He appeared in the show for seven seasons, during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Despite reaching an age when retirement is part of a wider public debate, Chew has no immediate plans to stop working. His decision, however, is based on personal choice. He told This Week in Asia, “There is no thought of retiring when you are doing something you enjoy,” adding: “Money helps. Never fight with money.”

Chew’s comments reflect one side of the discussion in Malaysia. For him, continuing to work after 60 is something he wants to do because he enjoys the work. He is not treating retirement as an automatic next step simply because he has reached a particular age.

But for many other Malaysians, the issue is not only about whether they want to continue working. It is also about whether they can afford to stop. If their savings are not enough, leaving work may not be financially possible, even when they might otherwise prefer to retire.

This has made the debate over the retirement age more complicated. Calls to increase the age at which people retire have come amid warnings about inadequate savings. The concern is that some people may need to remain in employment because they do not have enough money set aside for life after work.

The debate therefore brings together two different situations. Some people may continue working because they enjoy their jobs or want to remain active. Others may continue because they cannot manage without an income. Both groups could be affected by any change in retirement policy, but for different reasons.

Experts have warned that a one-size-fits-all policy could harm workers. A single rule may not take account of the differences between people who choose to work beyond 60 and those who feel they have no choice because their savings are insufficient.

Chew’s career also provides a clear timeline for his continued connection with Malaysian television. He became familiar to audiences through “Kee Tat” in Kopitiam, which ran for seven seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now, at 61, he has not left the industry. Instead, he is taking on selected projects when he receives the right offers.

The broader question remains whether Malaysia should encourage people to work longer, or whether any change should allow for the different financial situations and personal choices of workers. Chew’s view is that enjoyable work can make retirement unnecessary for him. For many others, however, the question is whether their savings make retirement possible.

The report was written by Ushar Daniele in Kuala Lumpur and published by the South China Morning Post.