SHAH ALAM, Nov 29 — The Sabah chapter of PKR today claimed that there are no ill feelings in the state over Nurul Izzah Anwar meeting Jacel Kiram, the daughter of the Sulu “Sultan” whose forces invaded Lahad Datu there in 2013.

Sabah PKR chief Datuk Lajim Ukin went on to claim that the controversy was fabricated by rivals Barisan Nasional (BN) to tarnish the reputation of the PKR vice president.

“On the picture that Izzah took, in Sabah there is no issue on it. It is just Umno BN that seems to bring this matter up,” he told the delegates at the PKR National Congress today.

Lajim added that PKR has always been united both here and in east Malaysia, and will continue to stand by its leaders in times of controversy such as that currently surrounding Nurul Izzah.

Nurul Izzah, who is PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter, triggered controversy by posing together with Jacel for photographs during a trip to the Philippines.

Jacel is the daughter of Jamalul Kiram III, the self-styled Sulu “sultan” who ordered the invasion of Lahad Datu in Sabah in 2013, in which 10 Malaysian security personnel were killed.

Nurul Izzah later confirmed that she was in the Philippines on November 9 with fellow federal lawmaker Chua Tian Chang as part of a PKR delegation to meet with “various stakeholders” there, and explained that the guests were decided by the organisers and she had no knowledge she would be meeting Jacel.

On Thursday, the Sabah legislative assembly voted in favour of a motion to ban Nurul Izzah and Chua from entering the state over the issue.

Police are also investigating both lawmakers over the meeting.