Friday 14 February, 2025
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has directed the Police and the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to immediately investigate the cyber-attacks on Miss Papua New Guinea, May Hasola, and ensure that those responsible are arrested. He has requested a progress report to be delivered to his office by next week.
The Prime Minister strongly condemned the attacks, calling on Papua New Guineans to use social media responsibly, warning that the Government could be forced to take drastic measures if such abuses continue.
Miss Hasola, who recently participated in the Miss Pacific Pageant in the Solomon Islands, has been subjected to a series of highly inflammatory and racially charged posts on Facebook, with recent attacks extending to her parents as well.
In a letter of instruction to the responsible agencies this morning, Prime Minister Marape ordered an immediate joint investigation into the incident, emphasizing the need for collaboration between DICT and law enforcement to combat the increasing prevalence of cyber-attacks against young women.
“As a father of girls and the symbolic father to all daughters of PNG, I am aggrieved to read these highly inflammatory and derogatory remarks, and I strongly condemn these cyber-attacks against Ms. May Hasola,” said PM Marape.
He praised Miss Hasola for her efforts in representing Papua New Guinea at the Miss Pacific Pageant, noting that the platform is meant to unite Pacific nations regardless of competition outcomes.
“Miss Hasola has done a wonderful job representing Papua New Guinea at the Miss Pacific Pageant. This is a platform that works to unite our people of the Pacific, no matter who wins or does not win. It is very unfortunate that some debased individuals have sought to racially discriminate against her, causing distress and disharmony to this platform,” he said.
The Prime Minister also reflected on past pageant successes, highlighting the 2019 victory of Miss PNG Leoshina Kariha, who is also from Bougainville, and who continues to excel in her education and career.
“This is the lay of the Miss Pacific platform—sometimes PNG will win; other times, it will not. Competition is high among the contestants, as all of them are highly educated at tertiary level and present themselves equally well on stage,” he stated.
PM Marape publicly apologized to Miss Hasola, her parents, and the people of Bougainville for the distress caused by the derogatory comments.
“On behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea, I want to sincerely apologise to Ms. Hasola, her parents, and the people of Bougainville for the distress these unwarranted attacks have caused them. My office is working to coordinate a time for Mrs. Marape and me to meet with Miss Hasola in person, to offer our apologies and encouragement to keep her head high. She has proudly represented our country.”
The Prime Minister assured the public that his administration is taking swift action against the perpetrators.
“But let me assure the public that word is now out for the police and ICT to track these offenders down, have them arrested, and criminally charged and prosecuted. My instruction is that I expect a report to me by Monday next week.”
As DICT continues efforts to improve identification and regulation of social media users in Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Marape reminded citizens of the importance of responsible online behavior. He warned that the Government may be forced to shut down platforms such as Facebook and TikTok if such cyber-attacks persist.
“Papua New Guineans must learn to use these ICT tools responsibly, or the Government will have no choice but to take stricter regulatory actions, including the potential shutdown of social media platforms if these abuses continue,” he warned.