Samoan PM: Only an 'idiot' would attack dateline switch

Samoa's prime minister has fiercely defended his dramatic plan to jump the dateline into the future, saying only an idiot would fail to see its merits.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced last month that his Pacific nation would skip a day in December to move into line with Australia and New Zealand.

Like his bold move in 2009 to switch to driving on the left, the dateline shift is designed to help Samoa build closer economic ties with its Australasian and Asian neighbours, now its most important trading partners.

The plan, viewed by many Samoans as strange and unnecessary, has had its second reading in parliament, both times sparking a heated debate from opposition MPs who question why Samoa would willingly lose its unique tourism selling point as the last place on earth to see the sun.

When the bill was tabled this week, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi from the opposition Tautua Samoa Party argued it was pointless because it would not drop the cost of living or increase exports, Radio New Zealand reported.

But Tuilaepa, known for his authoritarian style, condemned the criticism, calling the MP "very stupid" and saying "only an idiot" could not understand why it should go ahead.

He said the change was well supported by the Chamber of Commerce and the public.

However, Samoa Observer newspaper editor Keni Lesa disagreed. He said many Samoans viewed the move as "another crazy idea from our crazy prime minister".

"To be honest, most people don't understand why he's done this and many people really aren't happy about it," he said soon after the shift was announced.

The legislation is still to go to a parliamentary committee before its final reading.

If approved, the dateline change will become effective at midnight on December 29, jumping forward a day to New Year's Eve.

The change will shift Samoa to the west of the dateline, where it used to be a century ago before an American trader convinced island leaders to align the country more closely with the United States.

The change forces map makers to redraw the already wobbly line that runs down through the Pacific and leaves tiny neighbour Kiribati stranded in yesterday on its lonesome.

- AAP