THE idiom, ‘he won’t jump, but he’s ready to be pushed’, is what one may describe the responses of Minister for Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru on the Prime Minister’s public hope of him stepping down amid the ongoing investigation.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka ordered an independent investigation into allegations surrounding Saukuru’s January 2025 travel to New Zealand under the sponsorship of the Fiji Sports Council.
On Tuesday night, Rabuka told the media that he hopes Saukuru, as a mature Member of Parliament, would realise that stepping down might be the better option.
In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Saukuru meted out a masterclass in political manoeuvring by placing his fate in the hands of Rabuka.
“He is my leader; I will listen to whatever he decides,” he said.
With a display of loyalty under fire, Saukuru maintained that he will act on the decision of the PM.
“He (PM) was the one who appointed me so if he had decided on that then that’s it.
“If I have to go, I’ll go, that’s all part of the work that we do. I don’t want to really comment further on that.”
Saukuru also stated that the PM’s instruction for him not to interfere in the investigation was valid.
“That’s pretty fair and I don’t need to comment further then that because that’s pretty fair coming from him as my leader,” he said.
Rabuka also stated on Tuesday night that Gilbert Vakalalabure’s case is straight forward, either he steps down or be stood down.
