An Introduction to Negeri Sembilan

Negeri Sembilan is a neighbouring state south of Selangor, west of Pahang, north of Melaka and northwest of Johor Bahru. The state is divided into seven administrative districts comprising of Seremban, Jelebu, Jempol, Kuala Pilah, Port Dickson, Rembau and Tampin. Historically, it is believed that the name of the state is derived from its original nine districts. Settled by Minangkabau migrants from Sumatra long ago, their cultural and architectural influences are still visible today. One such feature is the horn-shaped roof which still exists along with other Minangkabau architecture in Taman Seni Budaya Negeri. According to the Negeri Sembilan Investment Centre (NSIC), the population in the state is more than one million people and the ethnic composition are Malays (56%), Chinese (24.2%), Indian (15.3%) and other races (4.5%).

Economy

Manufacturing and services sectors make up about 90% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Negeri Sembilan. Construction, mining and agriculture make up the rest of the GDP. As of 2009, Negeri Sembilan has more than 50 industrial estates. The major ones are located close to the North-South Expressway as well as the border of Selangor. To name a few, they are Nilai Industrial Park, Nilai Industrial Estate, Arab Malaysian Industrial Estate, Nilai Utama Industrial Park, Tech Park @ ENSTEK, Galla Industrial Park, Senawang Industrial Park, Oakland Industrial Park, Tuanku Jaafar Industrial Park, Senawang Industrial Estate and Chembong Industrial Park. With plenty of room for growth, it is interesting to note that Industrial/Urban areas only make up 12% of the land use as according to the Town & Country Planning Department of Negeri Sembilan. Agriculture land makes up close to half of the land use at 49.9% while forest reserve occupies 25.2%. Other land use includes housing (5.5%), government land (4.9%) and other uses (2.5%). Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told New Straits Times (NST) Malaysia on 6 August 2009, “Negeri Sembilan is still one of the top picks for investors even though we have to compete with other prime areas, especially within the economic corridors. Despite the competition, many have expressed interest in investing in businesses here, and some have opened up factories in the state.” Some multinational companies (MNCs) that are operating in Negeri Sembilan include 3M Malaysia Seremban (Sdn Bhd), Baerlocher (M) Sdn Bhd, CSR Building Material (M) Sdn Bhd, ESSO (M) Sdn Bhd, Golden Globe Sdn Bhd, Nestle Food (M) Sdn Bhd, Samsung SDI (M) Sdn Bhd and the list goes on.

Development

Seremban is the capital of Negeri Sembilan and is only about 50 kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur. Well connected by road and rail, residential developments in Seremban have quickly become a hot favourite alternative place to stay for those working in Kuala Lumpur. Some may find that commuting time between Kuala Lumpur and Seremban is relatively acceptable as it takes about 45 minutes by KTM Komuter commuter train service from KL Sentral to Seremban, or about an hour by road using the NSE. There are also many buses plying the KL-Seremban route at regular intervals. There are three golf courses in Seremban alone – the Seremban International Golf Club, Tuanku Jaafar Golf & Country Club and Paradise Valley Golf Resort. Major shopping malls there are Seremban Parade and Jusco Seremban 2. Upcoming townships under development there include Bandar Enstek, Seremban 2 and Seremban 3, while there is also some continued development of the existing residential projects. There is also a growth catalyst development located west of Seremban called Bandar Sri Sendayan township which is envisioned to be an education hub. In a NST report, it was said that the International University College of Nursing as well as the Science and Technology University will be part of what’s coming up in that area. Located 33km west of Seremban is the Port Dickson which is a popular destination for holidaymakers. Famous for its beaches and natural forests, many resort developments have sprouted over the years in Port Dickson and they offer an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of city life minus lengthy travel times.

Transportation

The North-South Expressway (NSE) runs through the state while many arterial roads connect within and outside Negeri Sembilan. There is also rail service by KTM Berhad. While Negeri Sembilan does not have an airport, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is only about 30 minutes away from the Seremban district. There are ferry services between Negeri Sembilan and Riau province in Sumatra, Indonesia, via Port Dickson.