SAMOA’S GOOD IMAGE : HRPP Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi with local media.
By Staff Writer
Church and Cultural influences are the driving forces alleged to be putting heavy pressure on election petitioners to withdraw their court complaints.
The former PM and HRPP Opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, made the claim in full support of court petition hearings currently underway on the outcome of the recent general elections.
Church leaders along with influential village chiefs and orators are alleged to be targeting election petitioners to withdraw court actions, on the pretence of keeping the peace in the villages.
Tuilaepa was making reference to approaches for petition withdrawal on HRPP election petitioners.
“For Church Ministers to make that call amounts to an admission of support for election corruptions to continue into the future,” Tuilaepa pointed out to the local media in his weekly Thursday get together.
EFKS Church leaders were signalled out for some of the blatant campaigning made from the pulpit on Sunday sermons during the lead up to the recent polling.
“One church minister went as far as to assure his Sunday congregation he was red from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, in support of the FAST colours,” Tuilaepa noted.
The display of political bias and attempts to win over the support of church followers, are serious concerns for the opposition leader to what may lie in store for Samoa going forward.
“What will all this religious bias have on peace and harmony in Samoa if it will divide the congregations support for political parties,” Tuilaepa questioned.
“This is where political differences creates frictions on peace and harmony between the people to divide the country as we have in Samoa now.”
Tuilaepa claims political ‘evil is strong and has taken over Samoa’ and ‘ there has never been a situation like this before in the country.’
“What is the point of calling on our Lord’s name in loud and repeated praises, when the sermons from the pulpit of political bias and greed for money, tears apart the peace and harmony in the congregation?“
Village chief and orators are alleged to be equally guilty of making delegations to the election petitioners not to go to court.
Tuilaepa pins his hopes of a lasting solution for resolving the bribery problem on the influence of court rulings on election petitions.
He is equally hopeful that the judiciary influence will be the key to restoring the proud image of Samoa to the world, badly sullied by the smear of corrupt election practices.
The former PM asserted that the choice of candidates to support in the election as leaders for Samoa, is supposed to be between the voter and God.
