Source: RNZ

The motion of no confidence filed against the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands has been withdrawn.

The motion against Prime Minister Matthew Wale, who has only been in the top job for over three months, was set for debate in parliament on Monday, 7 September.

Manasseh Maelanga, who lodged the motion against Wale a week ago, announced Sunday afternoon that he is withdrawing the motion.

SBM Online reports Maelanga also signed the required documents for the formal withdrawal of the motion and submitted them to the National Parliament this afternoon.

“I have not taken this decision lightly, the motion was never about professional ambition, personal interest or creating division in our country, it was not a decision I took in isolation,” Maelanga said.

In response to the announcement, Prime Minister Wale thanked Maelanga for withdrawing the motion.

“I have been quite concerned since I aware .. the time I landed in Palau.. emotions and public opinion, I think, also a rising level of public anger in terms of how leaders behave in these situations, and this something not good in the public mind.”

I welcome the spirit with which he [Maelanga] has acted…and he informed me on Friday afternoon that this is what he would do over the weekend,” Wale said.

A week in Solomon Islands politics
The motion came as a shock to Matthew Wale, who was in Palau for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting when the news broke.

Mr Wale left Palau early the next day to return home and deal with the domestic political crisis.

On his return to Solomon Islands last week, he faced the resignations of three Cabinet ministers.

Last Thursday, Wale then sacked the Finance Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, who also shares a political party with Maelanga.

Lilo told RNZ Pacific that he had no involvement with the motion against the prime minister.

Over the weekend, local media reported that two more opposition MPs had crossed the floor to join the government, giving it 31 seats in the 50 seat parliament.