2 Jun 2009

Samoa Party to challenge ruling their MPs have lost their seats in Parliament

7:14 pm on 2 June 2009

The interim leader of a newly formed political party in Samoa says they will challenge a ruling that has resulted in nine MPs with affiliations to the party losing their seats.

Under the Electoral Act, MPs cannot join a new party during parliament's five year term.

But the Tautua Samoa party's interim leader says all the MPs remain independents.

Sua Rimoni Ah Chong, the leader of the already established Samoa Party - which does not have any MPs -, sees such a ruling as a barrier to members being free to express their own views.

But he says the rights and wrongs of this case will inevitably be played out in court.

"I suppose its for the benefit of developing our constitutional law and what it really means and developing our democracy and I suppose from that perspective it's a good thing."

The leader of the Samoa Party,Sua Rimoni Ah Chong

The Tautua Samoa Party plans to take out an injunction against the Speaker's ruling once Independence Day celebrations end.