Allegations against Opposition cleared

NO law has been broken by Government MPs for camping with the Opposition, the registrar for political parties and candidates said.
Sir Kina Bona even said that political parties and candidates had behaved well under the Organic Law on Political Parties and Candidates amid the vote of no-confidence motion before Parliament.
“We investigated and cleared allegations raised by the Prime Minister that the Opposition had breached the Integrity Laws in a full-page media advertisement of undue influence on Members of Parliament,” he told a press conference after being sworn-in at Government House last Friday.
“The investigation also cleared claims that certain Government MPs were locked up against their will by the Opposition.”
On the allegations of MPs being locked up, Sir Kina said nobody, including the MPs themselves, had stepped forward to complain.
“At the moment, parties are behaving very well.”
Asked whether Government MPs, who deserted their parties to side with the Opposition, had broken any law, he said “they have not committed an offence yet”.
He said Government MPs could side with the Opposition but they would come under scrutiny when voting on a no-confidence motion, the budget and any other major constitutional bill.
“If the vote is taken and they vote against the Prime Minister, then they are likely to have breached the Organic Law on Political Parties and Candidates,” he said.
The Government MPs who have aligned themselves with the Opposition include Enga Governor Peter Ipatas (People’s Party), Kainantu Member Sai Beseo (People’s Party), Usino-Bundi Member Samson Kuli (People’s Party), Anglimp-South Waghi Member Jamie Maxtone-Graham (PNG Kantri Party) and Western Governor Dr Bob Danaya (PNG Labour Party).
Others are Goroka MP Thompson Harokqaveh, Chuave MP Jim Nomane, North Fly MP Boka Kondra, Kiriwina Goodenough MP Jack Cameron, Telefomin MP Peter Iwei and Obura-Wonenara MP John Boito.
Earlier, Opposition leader Sir Mekere Morauta said the MPs were only exercising their constitutional right.