National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad says he will raise concerns with the Police Commissioner and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka over what he described as an alleged act of intimidation involving a civil servant who had expressed interest in contesting the next general election.
Speaking at the NFP Working Committee meeting in Rakiraki yesterday, Prof Prasad said he was disturbed by reports that a senior civil servant had allegedly questioned another civil servant because of his interest in seeking an NFP ticket.
“We are disturbed by an incident here in Rakiraki,” Prof Prasad told party members.
He said the matter involved a public servant who had indicated an interest in becoming an NFP candidate but had not yet been officially declared.
“Though there are certain senior civil servants asked one of the civil servants as part of intimidation, because he knew that he had applied for an NFP ticket,” he said.
Prof Prasad stressed that under existing rules, civil servants are allowed to express interest in standing for election and may apply to political parties without breaching public service regulations.
“It’s not civil servants’ rules, but civil servants can make an application, express the interest. It’s only when they are declared as candidates that they would need to have resigned from the position,” he said.
The NFP leader said any attempt to pressure or intimidate individuals because of their political aspirations was unacceptable.
“So I’m going to raise this with the Commissioner of Police and also with the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister in charge of civil servants, because we don’t tolerate these acts of intimidation by anyone in the election period,” Prof Prasad said.
He said all Fijians should be free to participate in the democratic process without fear of intimidation or interference.
The comments come as political parties begin preparations for the 2026 General Election, with potential candidates and party organisers increasingly active across the country.
