Marape calls for police to get tough

EDUCATION Minister James Marape has condemned the attack on Kerema MP Pitom Titus Bombom by his own people in Kaintiba on Independence Day.
The Tari-Pori MP called on the police to get tough on people who did not have respect for elected leaders.
“I condemn, in the strongest term, the senseless attack on an elected leader,” Marape said.
He said the same people gave Bombom the mandate to represent them in parliament and had now turned around and attacked him.
Marape said if an MP was not delivering the services to the expectations of the electors, then they should wait and vote him out of office in the 2012 national general elections.
“The only democratic way to remove a leader is through the national elections.
“I call on the police to be tough on those people who think that they can attack any leader on the street or in the respective communities.”
He said this kind of attack must be condemned and discourage at all cost because it would set a bad precedence if it was encouraged and took roots in society.
“This attack is not good because you people gave him the mandate in a democratic process.”
Marape said attacking an elected leader would not improve the problem and he urged the people of Papua New Guinea to elect leaders who have the vision and heart to deliver basic services.
He also said such behaviour and attitude by the people had been encouraged by unnecessary protests and marches organised by non-government organisations.
“The government has been mandated by the people of Papua New Guinea in a democratic election and has every right to make decisions for the common good.”