Negeri Sembilan police chief Alzafny Ahmad said a man believed to be the children’s father and a woman were arrested late last night after discrepancies in their statements about the incident.

Checks revealed that the man had a criminal record of 16 cases including four in which he was still wanted.

“Urine tests on both suspects returned negative. A check on the car also showed that it had been reported missing earlier,” Alzafny said in a statement today.

He urged members of the public with information about the incident to contact the Port Dickson police headquarters at 06-647 2222, investigating officer Husairin Che Hussin at 012-965 4927, or the nearest police station.

He said police received a report from the public yesterday morning regarding a Nissan Teana that had slid into Sungai Linggi with a boy and a girl inside.

The children, aged six and eight, from Shah Alam, Selangor, were believed to have drowned after being trapped in the car.

Both were confirmed dead at the scene by medical officers.

The incident occurred as they and the two suspects were resting and fishing in the area.

The man was outside the car and the children and the woman were inside when the vehicle, which was parked, suddenly slid into the river.

The woman, who was initially said to be the mother of the children, was rescued by members of the public.