Seriously Ds Azalina Please Let Them Rest

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So, there I was, scrolling through my news feed, sipping my morning brew, when I saw it. The headline practically screamed: "Azalina Suggests Raising Retirement Age to 65 for Civil Servants." My first thought? Uh oh. My second thought? "DS, let me save you some time, energy, and duit government before you even think about conducting that study."

Now, don't get me wrong. I completely respect the idea that our seniors are healthy, active, and capable. And sure, it’s not compulsory, so people can decide for themselves. That's all good. But here’s where my personal "boots on the ground" experience kicks in, and trust me, it’s a story for the ages.
For years, literal years, I worked alongside makcik and pakcik who were well into their 50s, 60s and even 70s. And honestly? It was... an experience. An experience that tested my patience, my sanity, and my ability to keep a straight face. The only reason I didn't spontaneously meletup or run screaming from the office was thanks to a constant ayat penyedap hati: "Please, Suzlin, these are our elders. You MUST respect them, no matter what—even if their behaviour is so utterly baffling and "out of this world" it makes you question reality." Oh, and of course, I just stay for the gaji. The moment a better opportunity winked at me, I was out of there faster than you can say "early retirement package".
Now, you might be thinking, "Suzlin, you dramatic much?" And to that, I say, "Hey, I tried!" I'm the queen of "delulu reasoning" when it comes to trying to understand people. I'd tell myself:
"Oh, it's tough love." "She's doing this because I didn't see the bigger picture, and she just didn't have time to explain." (Spoiler alert: she probably didn't.) "Oh, this is just her way of trying to protect me." "She just wants the best for me,""She's not stupid. She just want to know if I can do it myself or not,"Or even a "He". And bless their hearts, I really tried. But then, there comes a point, my friends, when your "reasoning" well just runs dry. You're left staring at the undeniable truth that sometimes, older doesn't always mean wiser in the workplace. 
And sometimes, those "contributions" might actually be costing the company more in other, less obvious ways – perhaps in terms of efficiency, innovation, or even the morale of the younger team members.
Now, for the record, I want to make something super clear. My experience with those specific individuals doesn't paint the whole picture. I'm genuinely glad to say that most, though not all, of the "warga tua teras masyarakat" I've encountered in my life have been surprisingly good, and honestly, they've left me amazed. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have crossed paths with such wonderful, experienced seniors.
So, while I deeply respect Azalina's intention, my "in-the-trenches" experience whispers a different story. Before we raise that retirement age, perhaps a deeper dive into the actual on-the-ground dynamics of intergenerational workplaces is in order. Because sometimes, what looks good on paper needs a reality check in the real world.

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