Mount Sinsing is the third tallest mountain in Malaysia

The Sabah Forestry Department has officially measured the height of Mount Sinsing in Tambunan, to be 2,586 meters in mean sea level (msl) terms, cementing its position as the third tallest mountain in Malaysia.

The lesser-known mountain is located within the Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve, under the Tambunan District Forestry Office which forms part of the Forest Management Unit (FMU) 10 of the Sustainable Forest Management Project.

FMU10 is a forest conservation area classified as Class I Forest Reserve. It consists of three forest reserves, namely Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve, Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve (Extension) and Sungai Kiluyu Forest Reserve, with an area of ​​approximately 88,045 hectares. It is located in the Tambunan district of Sabah.

Mount Sinsing has become a subject of interest since 2018 when it was claimed on social media as the third tallest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo, overtaking Mount Tambuyukon (2,580 meters) located within the Monggis Substation of Kinabalu Park in Ranau.

Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan emphasised that the Forestry Department would continue its endeavour to protect areas of interest such as Sinsing.

Adjacent to Mount Sinsing is Malaysia’s second tallest mountain Mount Trus Madi (2,642 meters), which is also under the management of FMU10, covering an area of 88,401 hectares.

“Due to Sinsing and Trus Madi’s elevations, these montane forests are home to many unique flora and fauna, some of which are not found elsewhere.

“Through the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative under the Sabah Forestry Department, an in-house scientific expedition was organised from May 14-20 to survey the flora, fauna and social economics of the local communities living adjacent to the forest reserves,” said Kugan.

Malaysia’s tallest mountain Mount Kinabalu stands at 4,095 meters.

Gunung Sinsing is part of the large Trusmadi range and lies around 8 kilometres northeast of the slightly higher parent peak Trusmadi. The trailhead is completely different to the Trusmadi trailheads and Sinsing is usually hiked in conjunction with another high peak, Gunung Kaingaran (2,468 meters), which lies around 3 kilometres to the north-east of Sinsing and has a prominence of around 300 meters.