The Pacific islanders who want to ban Islam

The secretary general of the Samoa Council of Churches says Muslims pose a threat to the island

Reverend Ma'auga Motu said the council was pressing the government prohibit the religion on the Pacific island

(Getty Images)

The leader of the Christian Church in Samoa has called for the country to bring in a blanket ban on Islam.

Reverend Ma'auga Motu, secretary general of the Samoa Council of Churches, said the council was pressing the government to prohibit the religion on the Pacific island.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi last week called for a review of religious freedom provisions in the Samoan Constitution.

He indicated that the island’s supreme law could be edited to include more reference to Christian doctrines and teachings in the body of the text rather than merely in the preamble.

Meanwhile Reverend Motu said the prime minister should go a step further in banning Islam, and told RadioNZ the religion poses a future threat to the country.

He said: “We are not going too far, no. We are still wanting our own people to be prevented from this kind of influence.

“There are so many people who are good people but still there are some dangerous people among them who might come and threaten our peace.”

The reverend also asserted he did not mind about inevitable comparisons to Donald Trump, who proposed a ban on Muslims entering America at an election rally in December.

Samoa’s chief Imam hit back by saying Christians on the island should be more open to other religions and not discriminate.

Imam Mohammed Bin Yahya warned that Samoa might have difficulties trading with non-Christian nations if the country’s constitution was changed drastically.

During the 2001 census 0.03% of Samoan residents confirmed they were Muslim, with the island dominated by the Christian faith.