PM Says Cuepacs Misstated His Response On Retirement Age - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today Cuepacs misstated his response to its demand for an extension of the retirement age of civil servants.

The prime minister said the government was still considering whether to raise the retirement age from the current 56 to either 58 or 60, adding that he had not stated that the government agreed to moving the retirement age to 60.

"Cuepacs has issued confusing statements. I stated that I wish to regard its demand (for the extension of the retirement age) as a positive proposal.

"I had adopted a positive approach to the proposal to raise the retirement age," he told reporters after opening the retreat for Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament, here.

Abdullah said he had not made any decision on the matter, and that the new retirement age would only be announced at a meeting with Cuepacs scheduled for next month.

"I did not say (the retirement age would be) 60 years. And, I said I would announce the retirement age later," he said.

Cuepacs misinterpreted my statement, he said, referring to statements quoting Cuepacs president Omar Osman as saying that the government had agreed to raise the retirement age for civil servants from 56 to 60 years.

[From at http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=327822]