Transcript
The prime minister has been in charge for seven and a half years, and proven masterful at maintaining a big majority in the 111-seat parliament.
But Peter O'Neill is under mounting pressure over ongoing problems including government cash flow woes, chronic shortage of drugs in hospitals, and law and order crises.
The Madang MP Bryan Kramer alleges the government has tried to avoid a motion of no-confidence by moving the year's first parliamentary session forward into January.
But he says he's confident Mr O'Neill will face a vote in the session.
"I've already put the government on notice that if you guys try to interfere with the democratic process, then the only option left is for the people to weigh in on this issue. So what they saw in parliament with the police and security forces (going on a rampage over payment grievances with government) is nothing compared to what will come if they continue to hijack the process and run the country as if it's a dictatorship."
Mr Kramer and others have publicly identified veteran MP and governor of Enga province, Sir Peter Ipatas as a potential replacement.
However Sir Peter says he is committed to supporting Mr O'Neill and his coalition.
He says that ahead of a vote there is usually a lot of lobbying and negotiating between MPs, but claims he hasn't discussed becoming prime minister with anybody
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"At this point in time nothing of that sort has taken place. So you know, I'm still very relatively close to the prime minister, and that's it. You know, I'm trying to ensure my province is developed. I've given a hundred percent of my time to the province, and so I'm focussed on that."
However Sir Peter admits that the national government's cash-flow problems have had a negative impact throughout the country.
"We have issues that we have with the government, but that doesn't mean we want a change of prime minister. That may not be the real answer to all our problems in the country. But I think the idea is that we have to all work together to solve these issues that are facing the country."
The Sinasina-Yonggamugl MP Kerenga Kua says every party in the coalition government has been in talks with the opposition.
Mr Kua says growing disaffection among MPs with the current leadership reflects an appetite for change in the community.
"The country, citizens have become completely fed up with the lack of proper government, lack of transparent decision-making process, and finally the lack of accountability. Major crimes are going unpunished because those crimes are committed by those people who prop up O'Neill as the prime minister. He doesn't have the guts to confront them"
Mr Kua says that compared to a 2016 vote of no-confidence, which Mr O'Neill defeated easily, there's now a groundswell against the prime minister in the parliament.
