An advocacy group in Papua New Guinea has launched a petition calling on the new parliament to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption within 100 days of taking office.
Photo: RNZI
Legislation to set up the commission was passed by the government in 2015, but the office was never created.
The group, Act Now, says a well researched, permanent and politically independent Commission Against Corruption is desperately needed.
PNG is ranked in the bottom 20 percent of all countries for corruption by Transparency International.
Act Now's Eddie Tanago says the embezzlement of public funds by civil servants is rife.
"It is estimated about 50 percent of the government's annual development budget is stolen every year. In 2016 alone, the police have reported that about 1.5 billion Kina went missing."
