PAPUA New Guinea’s Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates says MPs-elect should stay with the party under whose banner they were voted into parliament.

Dr Alphonse Gelu’s comment was made as some MPs-elect appear to be moving towards the People’s National Congress party of re-elected prime minister Peter O’Neill.

The new MP for Moresby Northeast, John Kaupa, was a member of the PNG National Party and defeated a PNC candidate to win his seat.

After winning he immediately joined Mr O’Neill’s group, against the wishes of his own party.

Dr Gelu says that since the Organic Law on Political Parties and Candidates was changed in 2010, MPs can switch parties at will.