
Retirement in Singapore is seen as a well-earned reward for a lifetime of contribution in the workforce. Any revision of the official retirement age will expectedly be greeted by outrage.
However, with an increasingly knowledge-based economy and longer life expectancy, we can actually look forward to more years of being active, contributive citizens, whether as workers or pillars of our families and communities.
To get you inspired about what you can achieve in your golden years, meet the DollarsAndSense 7 Above 70. These septuagenarians continue to have an impact on Asia, and the world, far into their 70s.
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Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad (Age 92)
Dr Mahathir is the man of the moment and the person who inspired this article.
He led a movement to make the dreams of the Malaysian people a reality. In office, he led reforms and set a new tone for government at breakneck pace.
His policies aside, it is his work ethnic that puts many to shame, including those half or a quarter of his age. Politics aside, his actions are truly inspirational!
Goh Chok Tong (Age 77)
Mr Goh just celebrated his 77th birthday yesterday (on 20 May).
Besides being Emeritus Senior Minister and Senior Advisor to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Mr Goh is also still very much a big part of his constituency.
He also isn’t shy about weighing in on the issues of the day and sharing his views – whether they were solicited or not.
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Wee Cho Yaw (Age 89)
UOB’s Chairman Emeritus retired from the bank’s board this April, and his presence was sorely missed by shareholders ans the UOB family at the bank’s recent AGM.
With USD$7.1 billion in net worth, Wee Cho Yaw continues to wield considerable influence within and ouside of the bank.
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Philip Yeo (Age 72)
Philip Yeo served in various appointments in Public Service, including chairman of the Economic Development Board and A*STAR.
He currently serves as chairman of SPRING Singapore, a position he held since 2007.
As someone who is active in the new media and tech space, Mr Yeo is credited as an advisor on the local website Mothership.sg as well as the tech start-up JobTech.
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Sonia Ghandi (Age 71)
Sonia Gandhi is an Indian politician of the Nehru–Gandhi family. She was president of the Indian National Congress.
She took over leadership of the party in 1998, after her husband’s assassination, where she held in office for a record 19 years.
She is widely regarded as one of the most powerful politicians in India, and is even often listed as one of the most powerful women in the world.
Aung San Suu Kyi (Age 72)
Aung San Suu Kyi is regarded as Myanmar’s de facto leader, though she isn’t able to officially become president under the constitution.
She is known around the world for peaceful resistance, having been on house arrest for 15 years. After her release, she led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to a majority win in Myanmar’s first openly contested election in 25 years.
A Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Ms Suu Kyi continues to grapple with issues like the Rohingya crisis and Myanmar’s continued development.
Jiang Zemin (Age 91)
Jiang Zemin was formerly General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, the highest post in the party. He was also President of the People’s Republic of China from 1993 to 2003.
As the core of the Chinese party leadership, he continues to be influential behind the scenes, so much so that the relationship between him and Xi Jinping are closely watched.
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