Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum must step down - Tikoca

SODELPA’s Opposition Whip, Ratu Isoa Tikoca is still demanding that Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum must step down as a Member of Parliament following unbecoming acts in Parliament in his capacity as the Chief Legal Advisor to Government and Acting Prime Minister.

Tikoca maintains that Sayed-Khaiyum’s actions was a racial slur against him.

The Opposition Whip is challenging Sayed‑Khaiyum to prove that Tikoca’s voice and character are similar to that of Darth Vader.

Tikoca is also challenging Sayed-Khaiyum to prove that Darth Vader poses like a monkey or ape in any of his characters, like he did in Parliament.

Tikoca says anyone viewing the clip will know that this was not a light‑hearted comment.

He says Sayed-Khaiyum’s expression was serious, his body language was most aggressive and patronising and he made sounds and posed like a monkey or ape just before he sat down.

Tikoca says Sayed-Khaiyum also insulted Tikoca’s voters when he said that parliament would be better off without him.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says he is saddened that lighthearted comments and gestures he made during parliamentary exchanges last Wednesday have been deliberately twisted to imply that he made a racial slur against the iTaukei.

Sayed-Khaiyum says anyone who was in the parliamentary chamber who witnessed the full proceedings and read the Hansard report knows the truth.

He says he referred to Ratu Isoa Tikoca, as Darth Vader because of the rumbling and menacing tone of his persistent interjections.

Sayed-Khaiyum says he went on to mimic Darth Vadar’s speaking style in the Star Wars movies by lowering the register of his voice and adopting a Darth Vadar pose.

He says the video clip of the proceedings clearly shows members of the house laughing, including the Speaker, who specifically referred to Sayed-Khaiyum “breaking the ice”.

The Acting Prime Minister says at no stage does the Hansard record him saying anything that constitutes a racial slur.

Sayed-Khaiyum says he is very disappointed and saddened that Ratu Isoa Tikoca has engaged in a pathetic attempt to vilify him using parliamentary privilege and inflame ethnic division.

He says it is the cheapest of political shots and totally unjustified.

Sayed-Khaiyum says ordinary Fijians know that for his entire time in private and public life, he have fought racism and promoted the interests of every citizen, regardless of ethnicity, religious belief or where they come from in Fiji.

He says it is simply inconceivable that he would be guilty of the accusation that is now being leveled against him.