The police today said they were making arrangements to visit neighbouring Philippines to interview a 13-year-old Filipina girl who claims she was raped at a detention centre for illegal migrants in Sabah.

"We have just been informed by the Philippines embassy here that permission has been granted," Musa Hassan, federal Criminal Investigation Department deputy director, was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

"We will make the preparations which include submitting the names of our officers who will go there (to Manila)." Musa did not elaborate.