Kuala Lampur, June 4 -- Children in Sabah without citizenship documents or recognised nationality are falling behind across every major area of wellbeing, according to a new comprehensive study on child living conditions in the state.

The Sabah Child Wellbeing Index (SCWI) 2026 - a large-scale survey of 4,441 children across the state - found that stateless and undocumented children recorded the lowest outcomes in health, education, nutrition, and development.

The two-phase study which purposefully included 591 children identified as stateless or undocumented (stateless), while a smaller number of 59 children were identified as undocumented without being classified as stateless.

The study notes that these classifications often intersec...