Many retired people get even less than the stipulated pension of SR2,000, an amount not enough to cover their daily expenses.
There are also calls to ensure that someone who gets less than SR4,000 should receive further financial assistance.
Others say it is important to review the ways of calculating pensions and include more incentives and allowances to enhance citizens’ retirement benefits. All civil and military Saudi officials are included in the retirement system.
After their death, the families of male officials receive a full pension, while the families of women officials get 50 to 75 percent, subject to various conditions.
The Al-Madinah Arabic newspaper spoke to several retirees who think their allowance is not sufficient to cover their needs. One of them, Umm Bader Al-Shemrani, said: “During my career as a teacher, I gave society a lot in terms of effort, but now I am responsible for taking care of my five unemployed sons.”
She asked the Ministry of Education to follow up the cases of retired teachers and take into account their long years of service.
Another citizen, Noura Mohammed, said she even tried to work again after her retirement to make ends meet. “However, they didn’t answer my calls.”
Others ask for an annual raise in their allowance. Umm Faisal, an employee at a government school, said, “My pension of SR2,000 will not be enough to cover my needs. I urge the authorities to give my family an annual raise.”
On the other hand, lawyers Khaled Al-Zahrani and Mohammad Al-Muzaien stressed that employees should take responsibility and study their rights before retiring in order to safeguard them and know how much they will get.
Mohammad Al-Jehemi, another lawyer, said he was asking the concerned authorities to update the retirement system to avoid further misery. The Saudi Pensioners Association, which is currently establishing a women pensioners’ club, has demanded for their retirees an annual allowance and health insurance, but they are still waiting for an answer from the authorities.
Asking for a fair retirement system for both men and women, sociologist Suhaila Zainal Abidin said the system was old and did not match current life scenarios, especially the dependents of women who die because they are not eligible for benefits.
Meanwhile, Shoura Council member Baker Khushaim said the council had not decided yet whether to recommend a pension raise because any decision should be taken after necessary studies by the relevant committee, which would then present its findings in the house for discussions.
