Umno minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has insisted that PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar's meeting with self-styled Sulu princess Jacel Kiram two years ago was tantamount to treason.

"This is because she met an individual linked to a group that declared war against Malaysia and intruded into Lahad Datu, Sabah.

"I am of the view that action can be taken against Nurul Izzah under the Penal Code and Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) 2015," he testified in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

The rural and regional development minister was the third and last witness in the defamation suit brought by Nurul Izzah against him and former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar in 2015.

On Nov 9, 2015, Jacel uploaded few photographs of her meeting with Nurul Izzah in the Philippines, which courted outrage in Malaysia.

Khalid, who was then the top cop, said that Nurul Izzah would be investigated under Sosma and the Penal Code for treason, while Ismail also urged for investigations under Pota for offending the relatives of those who died in the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion.

"Such a statement was in line with my responsibility as a cabinet minister and a country leader who is entrusted with matters of the interest of the nation," Ismail Sabri said when questioned by senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Mohd Dom.

"I had the responsibility to explain the implication of the meeting between Nurul and Jacel to the people because of the Lahad Datu intrusion," he added.

When grilled by Nurul's counsel R Sivarasa later, Ismail Sabri argued that he was merely stating his "opinion" and proposed the follow-up action against Nurul Izzah.

However, he admitted that he never sought clarification on the matter from Nurul Izzah.

Ismail Sabri made the contentious statement three days after Nurul Izzah uploaded a statement on her Facebook page to clear the air on Nov 19, 2015. He said, however, that he never read the statement because he is not her Facebook friend.

If Nurul Izzah was honest enough, he added, then she should have called for a press conference and apologised, instead of taking to social media. 

Judicial commissioner Faizah Jamaludin set Nov 16 for case management.

When met outside court, Nurul said that no one should make mala fide accusations against any lawmaker, particularly proposing government action under Pota, without first checking the facts.

She also called for fair coverage of the opposition to counter accusations by the mainstream media.

When asked about the status of the hearing by Parliament's Rights and Privileges Committee for meeting with Jacel, she said the committee had been silent.

"So far, it has been silent. I think it is because they keep on bringing the same rule that any ongoing case and issues deliberated (in court) cannot be brought to the Parliament," she said.

"This happened in 1MDB issue. The hearing (by the parliamentary committee) has been conducted but not concluded," she added. 

Nurul had been referred to the Privileges Committee in Dec 15, which conducted a proceeding and called her for questioning.