Fijian police have issued a border alert for former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who is believed to be in Australia following his party's loss in the general election earlier this month.

The document, seen by the ABC, said Sayed-Khaiyum left Fiji on December 26 and was yet to be dealt with in relation to the allegations.

Sayed-Khaiyum held multiple portfolios in the previous government, where he was seen as the main powerbroker and right-hand man to former prime minister Frank Bainimarama.

Their Fiji First party lost the 2022 election to a coalition of minor parties led by former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Rabuka gave his first public address as Fiji's newly elected prime minister on Thursday night, saying the country was experiencing "a great and joyful awakening".

"It gladdens my heart to be a part of it," Rabuka said.

Earlier on Thursday, Fiji's new home affairs minister, Pio Tikoduadua, asked police commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho to resign from his position, citing a matter of confidence.

The ABC learnt that Brigadier-General Qiliho declined to resign, asking for the issue to be dealt with through the Constitutional Offices Commission.

"I have been frank with him and I respect his rights under the law, and that is the course that it will take," Tikoduadua said.

He did not elaborate on the exact nature of the allegations against Sayed-Khaiyum and Brigadier-General Qiliho.

Tikoduadua later confirmed to the ABC he had spoken with the police commissioner about the border alert issued by police against Sayed-Khaiyum.

"He [Brigadier-General Qiliho] told me he is aware of it. He said it's a normal thing that police do to make those kinds of notifications,” Tikoduadua said.

Last week, before the new government was sworn in, Brigadier-General Qiliho asked the Fijian military to assist police in enforcing security in the wake of the election, citing reports of threats against minority groups.

The move raised anxiety across the country, which has a history of military coups surrounding elections.

It is to be noted that both, Bainimarama and Rabuka have instigated coups in the past.

Image courtesy: Reuters/Regis Duvignau