Regional characteristics & pension systems : a southeast Asian perspective.

Abstract

Southeast Asia is nearing a period of unrivalled aging, highlighting the need for a reassessment and refinement of the region’s old-age support structure. This paper explores the interaction between characteristics of Southeast Asian countries and their old-age pension structures. Much focus will be placed onto the exploration of influences these characteristics may have in the current and future development of the region’s formal pension structure. Most of the data and analysis in this paper is based on secondary research in previous literatures of relevant topics. Thus, a large bulk of this paper would consolidate the current knowledge and perspective of scholars in this region’s pension schemes. Three countries, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, are chosen as case studies as they are among the first to face rapid aging population and thus are expected to be pioneers of pension reforms in the region.