A Member of Parliament has called for laws to regulate election finance and urged legislators to "stop trying to be righteous" when they break the law by giving money to voters. 

The recently re-elected M.P. for Faleata No. 4 Ale Vena Ale made the comments in the House on Thursday, during a debate on a review by a Parliamentary Committee, of a report from a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the 2021 General Election. 

The Parliamentary Committee rejected a recommendation from the COI to set a limit on expenditure incurred by political parties and election candidates on election-related activities. 

Ale told the House that there needs to be an allocated fund for candidates to spend on their election campaigns to avoid multiple court proceedings and asked peers in the House if any of them had not spent a cent on their election campaigns. 

“Not one,” said Ale. “Stop trying to be righteous when we are breaking the law. Voters come to us seeking help and you help them but that it is done the right way. 

“Ale feels there needs to be a law, Prime Minister, to allocate an amount for candidates to spend during their campaign and do what their districts want. 

“We all know many voters come to us for help to pay for water bills, exams, travel expenses, electricity bills and you are the one, the candidate running for election wants to help them.”

The M.P. pointed out that many candidates want to assist the voters but the way that the assistance is rendered is seen as corrupt and breaking the law.

He said when the candidate appears before the court they then end up lying and things go pear-shaped for them. 

The Faleata No. 4 M.P. then urged the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to set a limit of SAT$50,000 for candidates’ expenditures and report how the money is spent to the Electoral Commissioner who will monitor their activities. 

He added a person should only be charged if they are found to have spent more than the allocated expenditure.  

The M.P. for Vaa o Fonoti, Mau’u Siaosi Puepuemai supported the call from Ale, claiming there is not one M.P. who hasn’t spent money on their campaign and regulating election-related expenditure for election will prevent multiple court petitions. 

Mau’u suggested SAT$30,000 or SAT$50,000 limit for the candidate’s campaign. 

According to the COI report – which was the subject of the Parliamentary Committee's review – 32 court petitions were recorded following the 2021 General Election with the proceedings also relating to constitutional issues.