Abang Johari said rumours were not helping, especially one being shared online about a petition to pave the way for the negotiation, The Borneo Post reported.

He added that people should not write statements that could put the state government in a difficult position.

“This will jeopardise the negotiation and the posting (on Facebook) is bad because it jeopardises the perception of the other side (Putrajaya),” he told reporters after the launch of the Satok Sport Complex and Petra Jaya Futsal Carnival in Kuching yesterday.

“Datuk Seri Najib (Prime Minister Najib Razak) has been very open to the negotiation on certain aspects that have been eroded and has agreed to bring it back to the state.

“There are subject matters that we have to negotiate further, but he could not disclose any,” Abang Johari was quoted by the Borneo Post as saying, explaining that the negotiation could take a long time due to the “complications involved”.

Details being discussed in the second phase of negotiation on Sarawak’s autonomy with Putrajaya are under wraps.

However, according to the Kuching-based daily, Abang Johari mentioned that the second phase was more about financial aspects and that the negotiation was progressing.

“Now we are at the second stage, which is more about finance. Then, the negotiation will proceed to the technical aspect that is under the point of law, constitution and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“The process (of negotiation) is on-going…we just want to get our rights back.”

Meanwhile, a police report was lodged on Friday by Abang Johari’s press secretary Ambrose Cheng over the posting which had claimed that a petition had been presented to Queen Elizabeth II for a review of MA63.

The ‘fake posting’ stated that state legislative assembly members had unanimously agreed to the review and that it was supported by 630,000 petitioners.