French Polynesia's opposition leader, Oscar Temaru, has called on those in power to quit as the govermment has called on the public to help fight the territory's poor financial situation.
This comes after President Gaston Tong Sang warned of the need to cut pays and sell publicly owned assets.
However, Mr Temaru says those who embezzled public funds should not ask common people to share the burden but instead repay what they have taken.
He also says he wonders if the judiciary is waiting for a new prison to be built before those who have misused public funds are jailed.
The comment comes as investigations into alleged fraud by Mr Tong Sang and his deputy are still incomplete.
In a further response to Mr Tong Sang's proposed austerity measures, the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party leader, Gaston Flosse, says he is shocked about what he calls the sale of the family jewellery to pay the bills at the end of the month.
