Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced last month that his Pacific nation would skip a day in December to move in line with Australia and New Zealand.
Like his bold move in 2009 to switch to driving on the left, the dateline shift is designed to help Samoa build closer economic ties with its Australasian and Asian neighbors, now its most important trading partners.
The plan, viewed by many Samoans as strange and unnecessary, has had its second reading in parliament, both times sparking a heated debate from opposition MPs who question why Samoa would willingly lose its unique tourism selling point as the last place on earth to see the sun.
When the bill was tabled this week, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi from the opposition Tautua Samoa Party argued it was pointless because it would not drop the cost of living or increase exports, Radio New Zealand reported.
But Tuilaepa, known for his authoritarian style, condemned the criticism, calling the MP “very stupid” and saying “only an idiot” could not understand why it should go ahead.
