PETALING JAYA, May 24 — Retirees continue to work for many reasons. This includes not having enough savings, supporting families or just to kill time.

K. Subramaniam retired at 55. Three years later, he re-entered the job market and works as a security guard.

“My EPF and savings were not enough,” said the 60-year-old, who works 12-hour shifts.

“I can’t rely on friends or family as they have their own problems so I will work until I cannot stand it.  I know others who work as security guards but some do it just to pass time. As for me, I need the money.”

His monthly RM1,200 income is used to make ends meet and to support his wife and 23-year-old son who is in college.

A HSBC report showed that living inheritance is cause for concern for retirees in Malaysia where 63 per cent are worried about not being able to support family or friends financially.

The report said Malaysia had the highest percentage of concern worldwide, followed by Brazil and Mexico at 58 per cent, and Singapore with 54 per cent.

In Malaysia, 54 per cent of retirees were concerned about being reliant on family or friends for financial support.

On November 27, last year, Malay Mail had front-paged a story on retirees having to continue working.

Jamaruddin Eeash, 57, who worked 30 years as a security guard, said he planned to continue as long as he could.

“Things are not the same nowadays. Money is easy come, easy go,” he said, adding that he bought his home after 10 years of working.

He prefers not to rely on relatives or friends and wants to continue working as his EPF savings are insufficient.

“I’d rather keep working as I am still fit and able,” he said.

Jamaruddin, who supports his wife and three children, said it was easier now as his eldest child had started working.

Asked when he would finally retire, he replied: “I have to get my kids started in life and support my wife and myself. I need to put money aside and be self-sufficient.”

Taxi driver M. Ronald, 65, who formerly worked in air freight but was laid off in 1998, said he had used the retrenchment money to care for his mother for more than six years during which he did not work.

The bachelor said he started driving a taxi as he did not have anyone to rely on.

“It’s better to be independent and I don’t want or need help from anyone” he said, adding he had to manage with about RM1,100 per month.

“I will work as long as I’m fit, but the cutoff age for taxi drivers is 70, after that I don’t know what will happen.”

Ong Thin Hai, 78, a former employee at the Royal Selangor Golf Club, retired at 55 but keeps himself occupied.

He continued by working in a landscaping company for seven years.

“I only stopped because of health problems and my leg,” he said, while tapping his walking stick on the ground.

“I do help out if my family members need it but it’s not often.”

He said he had no financial commitments when he retired. He only needed to look after his wife as his two sons were doing well with families of their own.

“I supported them and now they support me,” he said, adding people need to plan their retirement early as savings can be used up surprisingly fast.