Pacific

Nauru's Govt suspends opposition MPs

11:57 am on 14 May 2014

Nauru's justice minister, David Adeang, led an urgent government motion in parliament yesterday to suspend three members of the opposition, Dr Kieren Keke, Roland Kun and Mathew Batsiua.

Reports say the reason for the government's move to suspend the opposition MPs was because they felt the three had made comments in interviews with foreign media which Mr Adeang says damages Nauru's development.

But Dr Keke says this is absolute rubbish and that the only people damaging Nauru's development are this government.

He says everybody knows that any obstacles to development that may have arisen since they have been in government are their own fault, and are not because opposition MPs have had the odd interview with foreign media.

Dr Keke says the reality is that the motive of the suspension is to further cement the dictatorial style this government wants to rule by.

He says opposition MPs will not apologise for scrutinising this government and will not apologise for highlighting their failures, their corruption, their self-serving actions benefiting their close friends and family.

Dr Keke says if the president, Baron Waqa, and David Adeang think that by suspending MPs that they will shut down criticism and turn Nauru into something like North Korea, they need to wake up.