The Papua New Guinea police commissioner, Anthony Wagambie, has gone public to assure the people that a military coup cannot and will not happen.
He's warned anyone contemplating a coup to think again.
This comes after local media reported rumours that a military coup was imminent and follows a week of dramatic political developments in which the Somare government, which had ruled for the past nine years, was voted out of power.
The commissioner says PNG is a nation of many different peoples and he cannot see how a military overthrow could happen.
But he says police are investigating and trying to find the source of the rumour, which Mr Wagambie says may be being spread by an unnamed NGO activist.
He says officers are now looking for the man.
Mr Wagambie says anyone trying to create something will be dealt with in the most appropriate manner.
