PNG: Opposition leader backs free media in battle against government

AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): Opposition leader Belden Namah has reaffirmed the importance of an independent media in Papua New Guinea.

At a news conference yesterday, Namah called on all media outlets to report issues of national interest without fear or favour, according to EMTV.

The background of Namah calling for more media freedom in the Melanesian country has to do with his longstanding battle with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. After the two fell out in the lead-up to the mid-year national election last year, they have been staunch enemies in PNG politics.

Before that, Namah acted as O’Neill’s deputy Prime Minister.

Last year’s election resulted in roughly 94 of PNG’s 111 MPs supporting O’Neill, whereas Namah was left with a 14-man opposition. Defections the last weeks have further weakened the opposition, which now only consists of six members, according to The National. 

New tensions 
The latest tensions between Namah and O’Neill broke out last Friday when Parliament refused Namah to ask questions about the more than 70 million kina (NZ$38.75 million) he claims government spent on a private law firm for services rendered to the government.

As Namah began speaking, a point of order was raised and the Speaker explained that a court order was restraining public debate on this issue.

Namah raised his voice and said: “There is no order barring me to ask questions on the floor of Parliament. Parliament is a supreme authority. We need to discuss and debate corruption on the highest level in this country.”

The opposition leader subsequently stormed angrily out of Parliament.

After having deliberated over the weekend, the Speaker allowed Namah to ask his questions in the Parliament session on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill announced that the Australian Federal Police and Interpol officers had been asked to assist PNG authorities in investigating the millions spent on private law firms.

Government thanked
The turn of events prompted Namah to formally thank the Speaker and the Prime Minister at a news conference later the same day.

Namah, together with the rest of the Opposition, praised Speaker Theo Zurenuoc for proving Parliament’s independence and democracy.

They also thanked the Prime Minister for providing favourable responses to their questions.

Prime Minister O’Neill announced he had suspended the Secretary of Finance and his deputy over the matter, but denied having any involvement with the private law firm himself.

Namah’s happiness with the government is an exception though. Less than a month ago Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said he was suing one of the country’s free-to-air television stations, EMTV, and one of its journalists, Scott Waide, after it aired accusations Belden Namah had made about the government.

The Prime Minister also stated he would sue Namah for defamation and hold him criminally liable for what he had said.

Belden Namah quickly warned O’Neill of his actions. He said that in this case the Prime Minister should leave EMTV alone and let the media do its work without fear and favour.

Dictator action
He also stated that the Prime Minister’s threat to cancel EMTV’s licence is an act of a dictator.

It does not seem like Belden Namah fears a lawsuit. After O’Neill said that issues raised by the opposition were all lies, Namah gave the following statement to EMTV:

“Message to Peter O’Neill: I wanna challenge you. That if he’s a real man: Pick up the phone like I said on Friday! Call your lawyers! Sue me for defamation!”

The Opposition Leader has been very critical of the extended grace period from 18 to 30 months that the current government has introduced.

In the grace period there cannot be any votes of no-confidence. Another grace period kicks in during 12 months before an election, which means that over two-third of PNG’s five-year parliament term is now locked down for government.

While the government claims that the grace period is introduced because it needs time to produce political results, Namah alleges that the government is corrupt and that corporate interests are pushing the grace period.

Namah has gone on record and stated that the “PNG government has been bought off by corporate greed,” and that “corporate greed is controlling our government.”

The opposition has also stated that the Prime Minister is an internal security because he does not stand for ordinary Papua New Guineans, but for corporate giants.

Namah said to One Papua New Guinea that he was planning a court challenge to the new law. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence.