Supporters of the kingdom’s Miss Heilala have vowed on social media to boycott any public voting for Tonga at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) 2026.
The development comes as Solomon Islands, which hosted last year’s contest, confirmed its withdrawal from this year’s competition, citing what it described as unresolved issues arising from last year’s dispute.
The controversy erupted after allegations that the pageant’s chief judge, Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt of Samoa, tampered with score sheets, leading to Miss Samoa being crowned the winner.
Critics argue the title should have gone to Miss Heilala 2025, Miss Rachael Guttenbeil. The allegations—strongly denied by Mr Brunt and the pageant’s international board—triggered widespread regional backlash, particularly in Tonga.
The calls for a boycott by Tongan supporters followed this reporter’s revelation last week that the kingdom had been listed by the Solomon Islands Star as one of six Pacific nations expected to participate in this year’s pageant in Fiji.
The development was widely anticipated, following sustained anger among Miss Heilala supporters over last year’s result and a subsequent disclosure by the then chief executive of Tonga Tourism that the ministry was considering withdrawal from this year’s contest.
Kaniva observed that social media users recently tagged Minister of Tourism Sēmisi Sika in online posts responding to recent reports, including Kaniva’s coverage, to draw his attention to their opposition to the decision and their calls for a boycott.
The Minister has been contacted for comment.
People’s Choice Award
The regional MPIP includes a People’s Choice Award, a special category determined by public voting, typically conducted through online polls.
The award recognises the contestant who attracts the highest level of public support and is determined independently of the judges’ scoring, meaning it has no bearing on the main competition results. The award in 2025 was won by Miss Heilala.
The voting campaign mobilised widespread support on social media, with users across the country—including the King’s only daughter, Princess Angelika Tukuʻaho—publicly urging votes for Tonga’s contestant.
Miss Guttenbeil secured the People’s Choice title with more than 130,000 online votes, narrowly ahead of Miss Samoa in a closely contested public poll.
Miss Samoa went on to be crowned Miss Pacific Islands 2025.
Support Turned Protest
Online, Tongan supporters say they plan to withhold their votes in protest, arguing that returning to the contest without resolving last year’s dispute risks perpetuating the issues and allowing similar allegations to arise again.
“Why should we support a system that failed us and never addressed the problem?” one supporter wrote.
“If Tonga goes back without accountability, our votes will not.”
Some critics have further raised concerns about the pageant’s governance, noting that the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant was originally initiated by the Samoan government and arguing that this historical association has, in their view, contributed to perceptions of undue influence over the selection process.
However, others believed that Miss Samoa delivered the stronger performance and deserved the title.
In the aftermath of the 2025 result, the then-Tonga Tourism chief executive Viliami Takau told Kaniva News the kingdom was contemplating withdrawal over concerns about integrity.
Observers say the growing boycott movement places the new Minister of Tourism under pressure, amid debate over whether Tonga should proceed with its participation in the pageant.
