The peak of Mt Sinsing (right) and Mt Kinabalu in the background, as viewed from the summit trail.
KOTA KINABALU (May 25): The Sabah Forestry Department has officially measured the height of Mount Sinsing in Tambunan, maintaining its position as the third tallest mountain in Malaysia.
This lesser-known mountain is located within the Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve, under the management of Tambunan District Forestry Office that forms part of the FMU10 Sustainable Forest Management Project.
The mountain became a subject of interest since 2018, when it was highlighted in the social media as the third tallest mountain (2,603 m) in Malaysia and Borneo, overtaking Mount Tambuyukon, also in Sabah.
Its height was then determined using a handheld GPS.
During a recent expedition to Mount Sinsing, a team from the Forest Research Centre, Sepilok, together with members from the Persatuan Komuniti Kampung Nupakan, set out to get a more accurate height measurement of Mount Sinsing, using the more sophisticated Stonex S900A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. Height data were recorded over a four-hour period on May 10.
These observation data were then sent to a licensed surveying company for processing so as to officially establish the height of the mountain in m.s.l. (mean sea level).
Using this methodology, the height of the summit of Mount Sinsing was found to be 2,586 m (m.s.l.), thus maintaining its position as the third tallest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo.
The Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, emphasises that the Forestry Department will continue its endeavours to protect areas of interest, such as Sinsing.
The second tallest mountain in Malaysia, Mt Trus Madi (2,642 m), is located adjacent to Mount Sinsing, which is also under the management of FMU10, covering an area of 88,401 hectares.
Due to their elevations, these montane forests are home to many unique flora and fauna, some which are not found elsewhere.
Through the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative under the Sabah Forestry Department, an in-house scientific expedition was organized from 14th to 20th May, 2023, to survey the flora, fauna and social-economics of the local communities living adjacent to the forest reserves.