Seven women conquer Maliau Basin with passion

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 20): Conquering Maliau Basin, also known as Sabah’s Lost World, requires not only physical stamina but also passion, as experienced by a seven-member all-women team from Yayasan Sabah who trekked through the undisturbed conservation area.

“It was a rugged trip, scaling near-vertical ladders and scrambling for hours at a time, but it was really worth all the effort,” says Hafeona Jhony of her team’s seven-day adventure to one of the state’s unspoiled hidden gems.

Hafeona said she was particularly captivated by Maliau Basin’s giant trees, especially the Agathis species, the variety of pitcher plants, beautiful mosses, as well as the loud and thunderous sounds of Maliau Falls and several other spectacular waterfalls that characterise the Basin as Sabah’s Lost World.

Even before their journey to the Basin began, they encountered many wildlife species, including sambar deer, wild boar and Malay civet, during a night drive around the Maliau Basin Studies Centre.

The tiring but exciting seven-day expedition took her team to five research stations within the conservation area – Agathis, Nepenthes, Ginseng, Kuala Strike Ridge and Belian Camp – where they were mesmerised by the breathtaking beauty of Takob-Akob Falls, Fauzi, Giluk, Maliau Falls and Ginseng Falls.

Her team included Rondy Milin, Linda, Dana Merlize, Grace Pounsin, Emma and Ika. Three Yayasan Sabah rangers accompanied them throughout the expedition.

“The first 2km from the Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp was the toughest part, as my legs were getting used to the ups and downs of the cliffs.

“Subsequently, the trail ascends to a steep slope where fewer tall trees stand,” she said, adding that after completing the first 2km trek, they reached a spot with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Maliau Basin enclosure.

She said the journey from Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp takes around six hours, but it took them almost eight hours to reach the second camp, a research station with basic facilities and double-decker beds.

While at the Nepenthes Camp, they trekked to Takob Akob, Fauzi Falls and Giluk Falls.

“We had to climb a steep cliff to reach the first waterfall, Takob Akob, and looking down from the top, gave us an adrenaline rush.

“Compared to Takob Akob Falls and Fauzi Falls, Giluk Falls appeared calmer, and the water was tea-coloured due to tannins released by decomposing leaves in the forest,” she said.

After leaving Nepenthes Camp, the group journeyed to Ginseng Camp, where they encountered a montane heath forest dominated by casuarina plant species, providing a different forest structure.

“This is the part where I really wanted to spend more time. The surroundings are just unique, and there are a lot more Nepenthes, from small to bigger species.

“I really wanted to spend more time there, but unfortunately, we had to continue our trek to the next destination.

“The mossy heath forest is one of the most exclusive and enthralling I have seen inside the Maliau Basin. The epiphytes are abundant, and the forest floor is beautifully carpeted with mosses in all lovely forms,” Hafeona said.

Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants and are not anchored in soil.

She said while taking a rest before reaching Ginseng Camp, Emma suddenly shouted after noticing an army of large ants seemingly carrying food to their nests.

“I had never spent so much time observing ants’ characteristics until that day. It was fascinating to see the ants demonstrating great teamwork. If you look closely, the ants carry things much bigger than their body size,” she exclaimed.

According to Hafeona, the equally challenging trek from Ginseng Camp to Kuala Strike Ridge also led to the seven-tier Maliau Falls, the most remarkable waterfalls of Maliau Basin.

The basin is drained by the tributaries of the Maliau River, which descends the magnificent Maliau Falls before flowing through a gorge out of the southeast of the Basin into the Kuamut River, which, in turn, feeds the mighty Kinabatangan, the longest river in Sabah.

Hafeona said when they ran out of drinking water, they took water from the Maliau River after consulting with the accompanying ranger.

“I asked them (the ranger) whether it was safe to drink directly from the flowing Maliau River, and he said yes, but for emergency purposes only.

“After spending some time at Maliau Falls, we continued our trek to Kuala Strike Ridge, which was quite tough with a precipitous cliff on an unmaintained trail. The trekking trail became more perilous as heavy rain started pouring,” she said.

She said while having dinner near the Kuala Strike Ridge river, she heard the ranger shouting and telling them to immediately abandon the riverbank.

“In the meantime, the rangers rushed to take away the plates, cooking utensils, and other items we were using.

“In a few minutes, we could see the flow of the river changing rapidly,” she said.

She said the mystical feelings about all the events that occurred throughout the journey from Agathis Camp to Kuala Strike Ridge seemed to have affected her mind, turning the night into a sleepless one.

The team returned to Maliau Basin Studies Centre via the trail to Belian Camp after staying a night at KSR.

“We were awfully weary, and I could barely be alert to my surroundings and hear anything; it seemed like my ears were congested with something.

“As we were about to reach Belian Camp, I saw six or seven Yayasan Sabah staff coming in the opposite direction carrying a stretcher.

“I was not aware that my colleague, Atikah, had injured herself because I was walking far ahead. The rangers were there to carry her out,” she said.

For the record, in 1981, Yayasan Sabah voluntarily designated the largely unexplored basin, located in Tawau division, as a first-class conservation area for the purposes of research, education and training in.

In 1984, the Sabah state cabinet approved Yayasan Sabah’s designation of Maliau Basin as a conservation area.