Marat expressed this in a statement last week when responding to concerns by professional bodies on the deteriorating state of law and order and corruption in the country.
Corruption is a major hindrance to sustainable development, being unfair on poor communities and is destroying the structure of society, Marat said.
Its impact on the private sector is great as it impedes economic growth, distorts competition and represents serious legal and civil risks, he said.
Marat said the enforcement of anti-corruption legislation in PNG has until now been relatively poor, but this will slowly change once tougher laws were introduced.
While the minister supports the idea for major law reforms in PNG, he wants to see that new laws come into place immediately.
The minister explained that the government is considering the introduction of whistleblower legislation, freedom of information, vagrancy act, crimes legislation for stolen state property and tribal and prosecution legislation.
Measures are being taken to address them in the form of legislation.
Marat said in his recent meeting with other Commonwealth law ministers in Scotland that emphasis has placed on fighting corruption and the whistleblower legislation has been seen as one of the weapons to achieving that.
He said as part of the global village, PNG must develop relevant legislation that is globally recognized to keep up with the development of new laws and other legal jurisdictions all around the world.
“This also demonstrates willingness in the community to play its part in the fight against lawlessness and corruption,” he said. “Corruption must become an issue of significant political importance and there must be growing determination to act and to take those accused of corrupt practices to justice.”
