Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Immigration Director Datuk Sh Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof (pic) denied viral social media claims that overcrowding at Sabah Immigration Detention Depots had caused the deaths of numerous Filipino detainees, describing the allegations as false, baseless and misleading.
She said the images circulating online were not from any Immigration Detention Depot under the supervision of the Sabah Immigration Department and did not reflect the actual conditions at the facilities.
Sh Sitti Saleha said all Filipino detainees at Sabah Immigration Detention Depots were in good condition while awaiting repatriation and were provided with appropriate care, including scheduled meals prepared in accordance with nutrition guidelines approved by the Health Ministry, medical treatment when required and other essential needs.
She said the suspension of repatriation by sea from Sandakan to Zamboanga by the Philippine authorities since February 2026 had affected the return process, with the department now using alternative routes via flights from Kota Kinabalu to Manila and sea transport from Lahad Datu to Bongao, subject to detainees' families agreeing to bear the travel costs.
Sh Sitti Saleha said the department remained committed to safeguarding the welfare, safety and health of all detainees while carrying out repatriation in accordance with the law and established procedures, and urged the public not to spread unverified information but to rely only on official Immigration Department channels.
