Negeri Sembilan

The name Negeri Sembilan is believed to derive from the nine (sembilan) chiefdoms or Nogoghi in the Negeri Sembilan dialect (now known as luak) settled by the Minangkabau. The size of Negeri Sembilan is now smaller than the original size of Negeri Sembilan.

History

Historical affiliations	Period
Malacca Sultanate	1400–1511
Johor Sultanate	1528–1773
Negeri Sembilan (first iteration)	1773–mid 19th century
Confederacy of Seri Menanti	1889–1895
Negeri Sembilan (modern)	1895–present
Federated Malay States	1895–1941
Empire of Japan	1942–1945
Malayan Union	1946–1948
Federation of Malaya	1948–1963
Malaysia	1963–present

Ancient and medieval history

The earliest possible human settlement in Negeri Sembilan can be traced back around 14

The Linggi River along the western part of the state, and the Muar River were used as major trade routes since the time of the Malacca Sultanate. The former linked the tin-rich area of Sungai Ujong to the port city of Malacca; while the latter, along with the Pahang River via the Serting River in just a walking distance to the east, formed part of the Laluan Penarikan (lit. 'portage route' in Malay), facilitating access between the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea.

As Johor weakened in the 18th century^{[citation needed]}, attacks by the Bugis forced the Minangkabaus to seek protection from their homeland.^{[citation needed]} The Minangkabau ruler, Sultan Abdul Jalil, obliged by sending his near relative, Raja Mahmud, also known as Raja Melewar.^{[citation needed]}

When Raja Melewar arrived, he found that another royal, Raja Khatib had already established himself as ruler.^{[citation needed]} He declared war against Raja Khatib and became the ruler of Negeri Sembilan. The Sultan of Johor confirmed his position by granting the title Yamtuan Seri Menanti ("He Who is Highest Lord of the Seri Menanti") in 1773.^{[citation needed]}

Nine chiefdoms

At the time of its establishment, Negeri Sembilan was originally a loose confederation of nine chiefdoms (luaks), hence the name. During Raja Melewar's rule, it covered a larger area than its modern-day boundaries. In addition to the entire modern-day Negeri Sembilan, it also encompassed parts of what are now Selangor, Malacca, Pahang and Johor.

The original nine chiefdoms or domains that made up the first incarnation of Negeri Sembilan in 1773^{[citation needed]}, and gave the state its name, were:

1. Sungai Ujong
2. Jelebu
3. Rembau
4. Johol
5. Jelai
6. Ulu Pahang
7. Naning
8. Segamat
9. Klang.

However, the latter four chiefdoms were annexed into neighbouring states in the 19th century. Naning was incorporated into the

Ulu Pahang became the Bera region of Pahang, Segamat was annexed by Johor, and Klang became part of the Kuala Langat region of Selangor.^[citation needed]

After Raja Melewar's death in 1795, a series of disputes arose over the succession. For a considerable period, the local nobles appealed to the Minangkabau ruler in Sumatra for a new ruler.^{[citation needed]} However, competing interests supported different candidates, often resulting in further instability and civil war.^{[citation needed]}

Colonial history

In 1874, the

The formation of modern Negeri Sembilan began in 1889, when the Seri Menanti domain, under the rule of Tuanku Muhammad (son of Yamtuan Antah), combined with the domains of Tampin and Rembau, forming the Seri Menanti Confederation as a single political entity.^{[citation needed]}

The domains of Sungai Ujong and Jelebu joined this confederation in 1895, forming the state of Negeri Sembilan in its modern borders.

Later that same year on 9 November, Negeri Sembilan was placed under the Movement Control Order lockdown due to increasing COVID-19 infections.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Facing the Strait of Malacca, Negeri Sembilan is one of the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. It is specifically belong to the southern region, along with Malacca and Johor.^[9][10] However, some sources define Negeri Sembilan as a central region state with Selangor and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.^[11]

The state is slightly smaller than

Topography

Topographically, Negeri Sembilan consists of two vast plains divided by a mountainous spine in the middle. This region is well drained by various rivers on both sides. The Titiwangsa Mountains, the southernmost extension of the Tenasserim Hills and the wider Indo-Malayan Cordillera, spans for approximately 92 km (57.1 mi) through the middle of the state. The mountain range starts from the border tripoint with Pahang and Selangor near Kenaboi, Jelebu, and extends towards Tampin, close to the border with Malacca.

This geographical feature results in the state being bisected almost diagonally into two regions: western Negeri Sembilan, consisting of the Port Dickson, Seremban, and Rembau Districts; and eastern Negeri Sembilan, which includes the districts of Jelebu, Kuala Pilah, Jempol, and Tampin. The western half is more developed and has an intricate and concentrated road network compared to the latter, which is predominantly rural.

The Negeri Sembilan section of the Titiwangsa Mountains forms a division for four river basins. The Langat and Linggi Rivers flows through the western half, while the Muar and Pahang Rivers constitute the eastern side. The Linggi and Muar rivers are the two major rivers flowing through the state and serve as significant water sources for the population. Its rainforests form part of the Titiwangsa Forest Complex, a component of the Central Forest Spine conservation area that covers much of the heavily forested and mountainous interior of Peninsular Malaysia.

Highest point

Mount Besar Hantu, at 1,462 m (4,797 ft), located in Jelebu District and close to the border with Pahang, is the highest point in Negeri Sembilan. The nearby Mount Nuang, which is 31 metres taller, marks the tripoint with Selangor and Pahang at its northernmost point, of which it is the third tallest in the former; while in the south, Mount Ledang, an isolated mountain, marks the tripoint with Malacca and Johor, where it is the highest point of the latter at 1,276 m (4,186.3 ft).

Districts

On the administrative level, Negeri Sembilan consists of seven districts, namely Port Dickson, Seremban, Rembau, Kuala Pilah, Jelebu, Jempol and Tampin Districts, and further sectioned into 14 respective luaks.

The luaks in Negeri Sembilan are as follows:

The luaks surrounding Seri Menanti such as Terachi, Ulu Muar, Jempol, Gunung Pasir and Ineh are collectively known as the Luak Tanah Mengandung.

Lastly, the Luak of Tampin, also known as the Adat Territory of Tampin (Malay: Wilayah Adat Tampin), holds a semi-autonomous status and is ruled by the

In the corresponding Borneo-Australian Monsoon that blows from the northeast, Negeri Sembilan, along with the states of Melaka, Johor, and the east coastal states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang are the most affected by the monsoonal surge that brings persistently heavy rainfall and caused rough sea conditions in the South China Sea.

Government

Constitution

The Constitution of Negeri Sembilan came into force on 26 March 1959. It is divided into two sections. The constitution establishes that the state's form of government is constitutional monarchy and the world's only elective monarchy for matrilineal society. The system was partially the basis for the federal monarchy.

The Ruler

The official constitutional title of the Ruler of the state are

Unlike Malaysia's eight other Royal Malay states, the Ruler of Negeri Sembilan is elected to his office by the territorial chiefs or Ruling Chiefs of the state. These Ruling Chiefs are titled Undang. Only four of the Undangs have the right to vote in the election for the Ruler of the State. They are:

• The Undang of Sungai Ujong
• The Undang of Jelebu
• The Undang of Johol
• The Undang of Rembau

The Undang themselves cannot stand for election, and their choice of Ruler is limited to a male Muslim who is Malay and also a "lawfully begotten descendant of Raja Radin ibni Raja Lenggang".

The Assembly convenes at the Wisma Negeri in the state capital, Seremban.

Executive and Legislature

The State Executive Council consists of the Menteri Besar, who is its chairman, and ten other members. The Menteri Besar and the other members of the council are appointed by the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar from the members of the State Assembly of the governing party or coalition. The current

.

Affiliation		Coalition/Party Leader	Status	Seats
				2023 election	Current
	Pakatan Harapan Barisan Nasional	Aminuddin Harun	Government	31	31
	Perikatan Nasional	Ridzuan Ahmad	Opposition	5	5
Government majority				26	26

Departments

• Negeri Sembilan State Financial Office[15]
• Negeri Sembilan Public Works Department^[16]
• Office of Lands and Mines Negeri Sembilan^[17]
• Negeri Sembilan Irrigation and Drainage Department^[18]
• Negeri Sembilan State Forestry Department^[19]
• Negeri Sembilan State Agriculture Department^[20]
• Negeri Sembilan Social Welfare Department^[21]
• Negeri Sembilan Town and Country Planning Department^[22]
• Department of Veterinary Services of Negeri Sembilan^[23]
• Negeri Sembilan State Mufti Department^[24]
• Negeri Sembilan State Islamic Religious Affairs Department^[25]
• Negeri Sembilan Syariah Judiciary Department^[26]

Statutory bodies

• Negeri Sembilan State Islamic Religious Council (MAINS)^[27]
• Negeri Sembilan State Museum Board (LMNS)^[28]
• Negeri Sembilan Public Library Corporation (PPANS)^[29]
• Negeri Sembilan Foundation (YNS)^[30]
• Negeri Sembilan State Development Corporation (PKNNS)^[31]

Administrative divisions

The state comprises 7 districts, which in turn divided into 61 mukims.

Districts in Negeri Sembilan
Number	District	Seat	Area (km2)	Mukim	Local government level[32]
1	Seremban	Seremban	935.02	Ampangan, Labu, Lenggeng, Pantai, Rasah, Rantau, Seremban City, Setul	City[33]
2	Port Dickson	Port Dickson	572.35	Jimah, Linggi, Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson Town, Si Rusa	Municipality[34]
3	Rembau	Rembau	415.12	Batu Hampar, Bongek, Chembong, Chengkau, Gadong, Kundur, Legong Hilir, Legong Hulu, Miku, Nerasau, Pedas, Pilin, Selemak, Semerbok, Sepri, Tanjung Keling, Titian Bintangor	District council[35]
4	Jelebu	Kuala Klawang	1,349.89	Glami Lemi, Kenaboi, Kuala Klawang, Peradong, Pertang, Triang Hilir, Ulu Klawang, Ulu Triang	District council[36]
5	Kuala Pilah	Kuala Pilah	1,090.40	Ampang Tinggi, Johol, Juasseh, Kepis, Langkap, Parit Tinggi, Pilah, Seri Menanti, Terachi, Ulu Jempol, Ulu Muar	District council[37]
6	Jempol	Bandar Seri Jempol	1,490.87	Jelai, Kuala Jempol, Rompin, Serting Ilir, Serting Ulu	Municipality[35]
7	Tampin	Tampin	878.69	Ayer Kuning, Gemencheh, Keru, Repah, Tampin Tengah, Tebong Autonomous sub-district: Gemas	District council[38]

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1970	481,563	—
1980	551,442	+14.5%
1991	692,897	+25.7%
2000	829,774	+19.8%
2010	986,204	+18.9%
2020	1,199,974	+21.7%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Source: [39]

Ethnicity

Negeri Sembilan has a collective

Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 92.9% of the Chinese population in Negeri Sembilan is identified as Buddhists, with significant minority of adherents identifying as Christians (3.6%), Chinese folk religions (1.9%) and Muslims (0.8%). The majority of the Indian population are Hindus (89.0%), with a significant minorities of numbers identifying as Christians (5.0%), Muslims (3.2%) and Buddhists (1.4%). The non-Malay Bumiputera community are predominantly Atheists (39.7%), with significant minorities identifying as Christians (28.3%) and Muslims (20.2%). All Malays are Muslims.^[42]

Languages

Negeri Sembilan is a multiethnic state in which every ethnic group speaks their respective languages and dialects. The Negeri Sembilanese people speak a unique

Tamil (mother tongue to Indian Tamils and Ceylon Tamils) is used as a lingua franca among the other minor Indian communities. Besides, a small number of Telugu, Malayalam and Punjabi exist in the towns of Negeri Sembilan.

Economy

The state's manufacturing sector contributes almost half of the state's gross domestic product (GDP), followed by services and tourism (40.3%), agriculture (6%), construction (2.2%) and mining (0.3%). Manufacturing activities include electrical supplies and electronics, textiles, furniture, chemicals, machinery, metal works and rubber products. The main industrial areas in Negeri Sembilan include

Negeri Sembilan is mainly an agricultural state. However, the establishment of several industrial estates enhanced the manufacturing sector as a significant contributor to the state economy. Two districts in the western half of the state - Seremban and Port Dickson - have been gazetted as part of the Malaysia Vision Valley (MVV, Malay: Lembah Wawasan Malaysia), a 1,534 square kilometres (592 sq mi) new growth corridor conceived from the joint venture between Sime Darby and both the federal and state governments in 2015 as part of the National Transformation Agenda, the National Physical Plan (NPP), the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) and the 2045 Negeri Sembilan Structural Plan, in order to evenly balancing the existing development in the neighbouring Klang Valley area, providing ample space for the southern extension of the Greater Kuala Lumpur area, as well as to transform Negeri Sembilan into a developed state by 2045.^[43][44][45] As of 2024, the MVV is now in its second iteration, and is still undergoing development. Meanwhile, districts east of the MVV - Rembau, Kuala Pilah, Tampin and Jempol - are yet to be developed into an agropolis, to boost foodstuff production in the state and national levels respectively.^[46] Additionally, the residential median price in the area stands at RM 330,000 with a price per square foot (PSF) of RM 196.74, based on 7115 transactions^[47]. Similarly, the commercial properties boast a median price of RM 630,000 with a PSF of RM 419.11, derived from 657 transactions^[48], sourced from NAPIC, reflecting the past subsale transaction data available over the latest 12 months.^[49]

The agricultural activity includes

Culture

The

As in most other Asian cities, driving is the main choice in the state. there are three expressways serving the state, which are

For the bus services, it is operated by myBAS in the state.^{[citation needed]} There are also 3 lines of free bus services in the Seremban and Jempol districts funded by the state government, now operated by MARA Liner. MARA Liner also operated 4 rural routes in Rembau and Tampin districts.

Seremban has a main bus station which is Terminal One which connects Seremban with major places in Negeri Sembilan such as Kuala Pilah, Bahau, Rembau and Malaysia such as Alor Setar, Ipoh and Melaka. All bus companies that provide bus services are based here.

For the rail services,

There are no civil airports in the state, while the nearest airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang, Selangor can be accessed via shuttle bus between Nilai Komuter station to the airport.^[55]

Cuisine

Traditional Negeri Sembilan food is typically very hot and spicy, as one of the ingredients used is the cili padi, one of the hottest types of chili peppers. Masak lemak cili api, a type of gulai made with turmeric and cili padi-infused coconut milk (santan), is a trademark dish in the cuisine of the state. The Negeri Sembilanese are also known for their penchant for smoked foods (known as salai in Malay), with examples include sembilang salai (smoked catfish), ayam salai (smoked chicken), etc., and these can also be cooked masak lemak cili api-style.