Opposition Leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi urged Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt not to speak English when making public statements and questioned the appointment of the interim Attorney General.

Tuilaepa made the comments on a broadcast featured on Facebook on Sunday.

Tuilaepa said Laauliamalietoa’s message of sympathy for those killed at the Bondi shooting was an embarrassment to all Samoans.

"I'm embarrassed because the world would mock us, thinking the leaders of Samoa are stupid," he said.

"I urged Laaulialemalietoa to please speak in Samoan and let your advisors and employees translate your statements in English," he said.

Tuilaepa said this also happens in some church ministers, even though there are no palagis in church, they still speak English, and the grammar is awful.

"Please, that is my advice to the PM, try to avoid speaking English and use our own language."

Tuilaepa also voiced concern about the appointment of Mauga Precious Chang as interim AG.

He said this should not have been a direct appointment.

Tuilaepa also touched on the issue with import duties and taxes, in which Laaulialemalietoa said there are businesses taking illegal shortcuts by faking invoices of items that they need to declare and their quantity.

Tuilaepa reminded Laaulialemalietoa of the generator saga in 2020, which led to the suspension of customs staff.

Tuilaepa said Laaulialemalietoa should know that this issue is not new and the previous government did everything to try and eliminate it.