Ministry to investigate citizenship status of MPs, PM

THE Ministry of Immigration and Border Security has been directed to carry out an investigation into the citizenship status of all 111 MPs.
Minister Justice and Attorney-General Alfred Manase told a press conference yesterday that he had written to Minister for Immigrations Petrus Thomas to initiate a review of all MPs.
This follows claims by members of the Opposition on social media of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill having a dual citizenship and holding an Australian passport.
O’Neill, in response to questions about his citizenship status, said: “It’s not true; to be a leader or public office holder you must only have PNG citizen.”
Manase said: “Where an MP is found to have a dual citizenship or his citizenship status was acquired in breach of the constitution, he will be dealt with according to the laws of our country.
“This is at a time when questions are being raised about the Madang member’s own satisfaction of the criteria on which he was granted a PNG passport in his youth.
“The matter was being dealt with through legal and administrative channels so as to ensure due process to the extent that the accusations made by the MP are slanderous and are subsequently to be the subject of legal action against news organisations, and social media users are reminded that any re-posting of the accusations can result in legal action by the affected people,” he said.
Manase said the public and the world at large expected a certain code of behaviour to be followed by elected representatives of the people.
He said MPs were required to have Papua New Guinean citizenship.
“Members of Parliament must not have dual citizenship. That office belongs to Papua New Guineans and not those who are half-hearted.
“If we find through that process that someone has a dual citizenship, then the process will ensure that they are dealt with.”
Manase warned MPs against the use of social media platforms, adding that there were laws against the abuse and misuse of it.
“I want our elected leaders to be careful with the use of social media platforms in promoting their agendas as there are laws such as the Cybercrime Act and the Criminal Code Act that regulate such behaviour.”