Umno leaders have slammed PKR lawmaker Nurul Izzah Anwar and want her to apologise for dining with Jacel, the daughter of late Sulu militant Jamalul Kiram III, which is shown in a photograph on Jacel’s Facebook posting.

Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein condemned Nurul Izzah for being irresponsible, saying that her action could impact the security and harmony of Malaysia.

"I have not received any report related to the meeting. But with the latest development in the case of kidnapped victim (Bernard Then) by Abu Sayyaf and the peace process in Mindanao today, I see this action with certain quarters may affect our security and harmony,” Hishammuddin said.

"If this was indeed true, it is an irresponsible act," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Azizah Mohd Dun, who hails from Sabah, urged Nurul Izzah to explain and apologise for the meeting, which took place in Philippines on Nov 9.

Jamalul was the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, who was responsible for an intrusion into Sabah in 2013.

"If this is true, this is very insensitive," Azizah, the MP for Beaufort said. "Nurul Izzah needs to explain this. If this is true, she needs to apologise to Malaysians, particularly Sabahans and the families of those (Malaysians) who died (in the militant intrusions)."

The Facebook posting, uploaded by Jacel on Nov 9, shows both Nurul Izzah and Jacel at the dining table with at least two companions.

Nurul Izzah has confirmed the dinner took place , saying it was hosted by the Council on Philippine Affairs and the Asian Institute for Democracy, the Office of the City Mayor of Manila and the Office of the Vice President of Philippines.

The list of guests the at the dinner attended by a PKR delegation was decided and arranged by the hosts, she said.

'No need for apology'

Meanwhile, parliamentarian StephanWong (DAP-Sandakan) defended Nurul Izzah's right to meet with Jacel.

Although the intrusion at Lahad Datu was allegedly done under Jamalul's command, it didn't mean his daughter Jacel was implicated in it, Wong said.

He therefore disagrees that Nurul Izzah should apologise for attending the event or for the Facebook posting.

Wong also said that the picture may hurt some Sabahans and he therefore urged Nurul Izzah to keep such pictures to herself, instead of uploading them on the social media.

The photograph of Nurul and Jacel holding a placard saying 'Release Anwar Immediately' is also on Jacel's Facebook page. This picture drew public attention after it went viral online.

Despite Wong defending Jacel, the 'Sulu princess' is never seen as an 'innocent' figure in the Sabah intrusion, as she was reported to have acted as the spokeperson for the Sulu sultanate at that time.

Another DAP lawmaker who defended Nurul Izzah, Teresa Kok ( photo ), said she wasn't surprised by the event, since MPs always meet different types of people.

"For me, I am not surprised. In social functions, we always meet different types of people and photographs are taken. That doesn't mean that we support all of them," said Kok, the MP for Seputeh.

"I also have photographs with lot of people who I do not know. I even dine with the people who had fights with me."

"Is that serious? As though she (Nurul Izzah) took a picture with Abu Sayyaf militants. Sulu… that was an old story," she said.

"There must be no story for you all today," Kok added in jest at the media when met at the Parliament lobby.