By Staff Writer
Soaring public support for the suspended opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and party secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, has kept them fired up all week long.
The emotional heart pouring of love and assurances for the Parliamentarians after they were struck down again with House suspension flowed freely on social media.
Newsline Samoa also personally witnessed people walking up to shake the hand of Tuilaepa as he was on his way to shop at a local pharmacy near closing time on Saturday.
He had paused briefly to buy from a woman street vendor just outside the pharmacy when people started crowding in on him.
There were reportedly similar shows of public emotions all week for the MPs wherever they appear.
“It’s been a tough week, but all is well because God is always in control,” Lealailepule felt re-assured after the House drama of last week unfolded.
The FAST Government dominated Parliament exiled the popular MPs from the House for an unprecedented 2 years suspension last Tuesday 18 October 2022.
It is the second consecutive time the House had resorted to the vote to punish the opposition members.
The first was for indefinite suspension that lasted 6 months before a court ruling outlawed the decision.
Tuilaepa slammed the new Government suspension move as illegal and a repeat of the same actions by Speaker Papali’i and the House overruled earlier by the court.
One included the swearing in last year of the opposition party MPs who were threatened of being locked up by the police while walking on the road to Parliament to be sworn in.
The doors of Parliament were also shut in what was generally seen as retaliation by the FAST Government for the under a tent swearing-in.
The Tuilaepa and Lealailepule, suspension saga continues a ‘contempt of court ruling’ where they were convicted and discharge without punishment.
The wisdom of the judgement recognized the sensitive political environment in the country at the time and felt it wise to avoid adding to the state of political volatility.
A harmony agreement both political parties signed to end hostilities in the aftermath of bitter 2021 general elections, led to the ‘contempt of court’ charges.
Tuilaepa confirmed in a meeting with the local media on Wednesday he and Lealailepule will again challenge the Parliament vote in court.
“We are now suspended for an overall total of 30 months with these 24 months added to the 6 we have already gone through with the first one,” he said.
“Nothing like this has ever happened in any state of the Commonwealth of Nations that Samoa is a member of.
“When you go over the numerous illegal actions taken against us so far by this Government it is all about abuse of power.”
Both Tuilaepa and Lealailepule scoffed in defence at the FAST chorus in the House for the MPs to apologise.
Lealailepule rubbished the claims by asking what happened to the apologies he gave in Parliament and to the House Privileges and Ethics Committee that recommended the 24 months suspension.
“It’s all part of the big lie asking for our apologies,” Lealailepule challenged hinting at an alleged vendetta the Government is after.
The Court will again be asked to rule on the House vote which Tuilaepa regretted as an embarrassment to the status of Parliament as the supreme lawmaking authority in the land.
But he argued it is the only recourse left for MPs to address any injustices in the House.