Chong Chieng Jen
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament Chong Chieng Jen has called on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem to distinguish between true autonomy and administrative autonomy.
According to him, the devolution of power spoken of by Adenan was merely “administrative autonomy”.
“Sarawakians want true autonomy such as autonomy in education, healthcare and taxation and not mere administrative autonomy.
“What Adenan is negotiating with the federal government is only administrative autonomy, not true autonomy,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
The state Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman claimed true autonomy in education meant Sarawak had the power to decide whether to revive English medium schools, write its own school syllabus and decide on the annual allocation.
According to him, administrative autonomy is only the power to decide where and who would build schools, while the funding would still be decided and allocated by the federal government.
“True autonomy is the power to make policy whereas administrative autonomy is only the power to decide how to carry out the policy that has already been made.
“The difference is like the roles of cabinet ministers making the policy and that of the departmental heads executing it,” he said.
Chong said what Adenan was talking about was merely departmental heads being given power to carry out policies made by the federal government.
“For the people of Sarawak, we will still be subject to the policies of the federal government. Without the source of revenue at our disposal, there cannot be true autonomy for the state.
“Another example of the difference between true autonomy and administrative autonomy can be illustrated in the cancellation of JPA (Public Services Department) scholarships for this year. This is a decision of the federal cabinet,” he said.