KOTA KINABALU: Two siblings initially arrested for not having proper documents were later found to be Malaysian citizens, said Sabah Immigration.
Director Datuk S.H. Sitti Salea Habib Yussof today said investigations revealed that the teenagers were Malaysians based on verification from their elder sister, who holds a MyKad.
"The two siblings are citizens, but their parents' divorce left their documentation incomplete, making it difficult for us to process their case.
"Their elder sister has a MyKad, but their mother is untraceable as she is in Kuala Lumpur.
"The children are being cared for by their grandmother, a foreign national with IM13 documents."
Sitti added that the department had arrested 64 illegal immigrants in Beaufort and Sipitang today.
The operation, which began at 12.05am, targeted squatter settlements, oil palm plantations and construction sites.
The department inspected 215 people during the seven-hour operation.
"Of this number, 64 were detained for immigration offences, including 18 adult males, 16 adult females from the Philippines, one Indonesian, as well as 12 boys and 17 girls.
"Those detained, aged between 1 month and 79 years, will be taken to the Kota Kinabalu Immigration Detention Depot."