Unlike the hereditary monarchs of the other royalMalay states, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan iselected and is known asYang di-Pertuan Besar instead ofSultan. He is elected by the council ofUndangs who lead the four largest territories ofSungai Ujong,Jelebu,Johol, andRembau, from the legitimate male members of thePagaruyung dynasty, with the surviving sons of the previous Yamtuan coming first in the considerations but not being obligatory to be voted on, making it one of the more democratic monarchies. Negeri Sembilan is also the only state in Malaysia that is acoregency, where theYang di-Pertuan Besar, the fourUndangs and theTunku Besar ofTampin together share the power as rulers of the state.
The economy of Negeri Sembilan is mainly based on agriculture, manufacturing andservices.Seremban andPort Dickson districts are the state's major economic hubs, both constituting theMalaysia Vision Valley corridor.
Negeri Sembilan has diversetropical rainforests and anequatorial climate. The state's mountain ranges belong to theTitiwangsa Mountains, a southern subrange of theTenasserim Hills that span throughout southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, withMount Besar Hantu as the highest point. The Titiwangsa also ends here, atMount Tampin, located south of the state.
Luaks of modern Negeri Sembilan. The unlabeledluak south of Sungai Ujong isLinggi. State Museum,Seremban.
The name of Negeri Sembilan literally translates to "State (of the) Nine". It is believed to have been derived from the nine chiefdoms settled by theMinangkabau, known asNogoghi in theNegeri Sembilan dialect, also known asluak (Minangkabau:luak,luhak). The size of modern Negeri Sembilan is smaller than its historical extent.
Theconfederation of original nine chiefdoms (luak) of Negeri Sembilan, atRaja Melewar's accession in 1773
The earliest possible human settlement in Negeri Sembilan can be traced back around 14,000 years to the Pasoh Caves, a complex ofkarst caves nearSimpang Pertang in the Jelebu district. Artefacts found around the caves include stone tools and food remains, estimated to date from 12,000BCE based oncarbon dating.[5] The early inhabitants of Negeri Sembilan were the ancestors of theSemelai,Semai,Semang, andJakun peoples, who lived either ashunter-gatherer nomads or as subsistence farmers.[citation needed]
According to theMalay Annals,Parameswara reportedly visited the settlement ofSening Ujong, which was located in what is now Seremban.
Headwaters of theMuar River nearKuala Pilah. The Muar, along with theLinggi, was one of the most important trade routes in medieval Negeri Sembilan.
TheLinggi River along the western part of the state, and theMuar 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 ofMalacca; while the latter, along with thePahang River via the Serting River in walking distance to the east, formed part of theLaluan Penarikan (lit. 'portage route' inMalay), facilitating access between the Strait of Malacca and theSouth China Sea.
As Johor weakened in the 18th century, attacks by theBugis forced the Minangkabaus to seek protection from their homeland. The Minangkabau ruler, Sultan Abdul Jalil, obliged by sending his near relative, Raja Mahmud, also known asRaja Melewar.[citation needed]
When Raja Melewar arrived, he found that another royal, Raja Khatib had already established himself as ruler. 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]
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, and gave the state its name, were:
Historically, allluak concentrically revolved aroundSeri Menanti as a center flanked by four innerluak serambi and four outerluak akin to amandala.[8] Ulu Pahang, Naning, Segamat and Klang were annexed into neighbouring states in the 19th century; Naning was incorporated into theStraits Settlement of Malacca in 1832 following theNaning War.
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. However, competing interests supported different candidates, often resulting in further instability and civil war.[citation needed]
In 1874, theBritish intervened militarily in a leadership tussle in Sungai Ujong to preserve British economic interests and placed the domain under the control of aBritish Resident.Jelebu followed in 1883 and Rembau in 1887. Their presence was detested by the locals, which eventually paved the way to a deadly civil war and subsequent breakup.[citation needed]
In 1875, British forces, accompanied by Arab mercenaries andGurkha, engaged Malay defenders inParoi at the Battle of Paroi. Despite initial setbacks, the British ultimately prevailed, capturing the Malay stronghold. Casualties were heavy on both sides, with theBritish andArab contingents suffering 37 killed and wounded, while the Malay had around 35 deaths and many wounded.[9]
After the Battle of Paroi, the British waited for Gurkha reinforcements, which arrived on 10 December 1875. The Malays fortifiedBukit Putus, a mountain pass on the boundary between Sungai Ujong and Terachi. The British attacked Bukit Putus from both the front and back. The Gurkhas successfully captured the Malay stockade at Bukit Putus.[10] The Malays retreated after the surprise appearance of Sungai Ujong Resident P.J. Murray's forces from behind. The inhabitants of the Terachi Valley fled, villages were burned, andYamtuan Antah's palace inSeri Menanti was destroyed.[11]
Seri Menanti Confederation, modern Negeri Sembilan and statehood
The formation of modern Negeri Sembilan began in 1889, when theSeri Menanti domain, under the rule ofTuanku Muhammad (son ofYamtuan Antah), combined with the domains ofTampin andRembau, forming theSeri 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.[12]Martin Lister became the new state's firstResident, and Negeri Sembilan became part of theFederated Malay States the same year.
In the first half of the 20th century, rural Negeri Sembilan saw large deforestation due to demand for natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis); 6,188 plantations were counted in 1903 and were 396,065 counted in 1939.[13] It wasoccupied by the Japanese inWorld War II between 1942 and 1945, joined theFederation of Malaya in 1948 and became a state of Malaysia in 1963.
In the 1970s and 1980s, towns likeRembau grew rapidly from the migration of villagers who no longer farmed rice; rice farming disappeared from most villages across the state by the 1990s.[14] In the 1990s and 2000s, Seremban andNilai attracted people who migrated from the overcrowded towns of theKlang Valley area. These two cities also became home to new factories and industrial parks, contributing to the state's modern development.[citation needed]
On 9 September 2009, theMinistry of Housing and Local Government approved the state capital of Seremban's application to become a city (Bandar Raya), as it had experienced significant population growth. To make this possible,its city council had to be merged with theNilai Municipal Council. After several postponements, Seremban officially attained city status on 20 January 2020.
The Titiwangsa Mountains towers overSerembanThe western end of theLinggi River basin, as seen from space. Also seen here is the town ofTampin (to the right side of the picture), at the southern tip of the Titiwangsa Mountains.
The state is slightly smaller thanSelangor, with a total land area of 6,686 km² (430 sq mi). It is the fourth smallest state in Malaysia by area and the second largest in the southern region behind Johor. Its shape is roughlypentagonal.
Topographically, Negeri Sembilan consists of two plains divided by a mountainous spine in the middle. This region is well drained by various rivers on both sides. TheTitiwangsa Mountains, the southernmost extension of theTenasserim Hills and the wider Indo-Malayan Cordillera, spans approximately 92 km (57.1 mi) through the middle of the state. The mountain range starts from the border tripoint withPahang andSelangor near Kenaboi,Jelebu, and extends towardsTampin, close to the border withMalacca.[18]
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 adivision for four river basins. TheLangat andLinggi Rivers flows through the western half, while theMuar andPahang 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.[19] Its rainforests form part of theTitiwangsa Forest Complex, a component of the Central Forest Spine conservation area that covers much of the heavily forested and mountainous interior of Peninsular Malaysia.
Mount Besar Hantu, at 1,462 m (4,797 ft), located in Jelebu District and close to the border withPahang, is the highest point in Negeri Sembilan. The nearbyMount Nuang, which is 31 metres taller, marks thetripoint withSelangor andPahang at its northernmost point, of which it is the third tallest in the former; while in the south,Mount Ledang, anisolated mountain, marks thetripoint withMalacca andJohor, where it is the highest point of the latter at 1,276 m (4,186.3 ft).
Traditionally, the state is also organised into 14 customary domains known asluaks. There are major domains, headed by anUndang, which are:Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Jelebu,Johol, as well asTampin, which is instead headed by aTunku Besar. The major domains (except Tampin) are thus known asLuak Berundang.[20][21]
There are also domains, which are part of the royal domain ofTanah Mengandung, surrounding the royal seat ofSeri Menanti. The domains areUlu Muar,Terachi,Ineh, Jempol andGunung Pasir. These domains are headed by apenghulu.
There are also four minorluaks that are underprotection of neighbouring majorluaks:
In the correspondingBorneo-Australian Monsoon that blows from the northeast, Negeri Sembilan, along with the states of Melaka, Johor, and theEast Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang are the most affected by the monsoonal surge that brings persistently heavy rainfall and cause rough sea conditions in theSouth China Sea.
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 isconstitutional monarchy and the world's onlyelective monarchy for a matrilineal society.[citation needed] The system was partially the basis for the federal monarchy.
The official constitutional title of the Ruler of the state areDuli Yang Maha MuliaYang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, (currently Duli Yang Maha Mulia Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir), Yang Teramat Mulia Undang of Sungei Ujong, Yang Teramat Mulia Undang of Jelebu, Yang Teramat Mulia Undang of Johol, Yang Teramat Mulia Undang of Rembau and Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Besar Tampin and they hold office for life.
The state's constitution proclaims the Yang di-Pertuan Besar, Undang of Sungei Ujong, Undang of Jelebu, Undang of Johol, Undang of Rembau and Tengku Besar Tampin are vested with the Executive Power of the state, are the Head of the Religion ofIslam in the state and are the fountain of all honour and dignity for the state. The current Yang di-Pertuan Besar isMuhriz of Negeri Sembilan. He succeededJa'afar of Negeri Sembilan who died on 27 December 2008.
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 theUndangs 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 State Executive Council consists of the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister), 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 currentMenteri Besar of the state isAminuddin Harun.
Batu Hampar,Bongek,Chembong,Chengkau, Gadong, Kundur, Legong Hilir, Legong Hulu, Miku, Nerasau,Pedas, Pilin, Selemak, Semerbok, Sepri, Tanjung Keling, Titian Bintangor
Negeri Sembilan has a total population of 1,098,500 as of 2015;[48][49] theethnic composition consisting of 622,000Malays (56.6%) (mostly areMinangkabau descent), 20,700 otherBumiputras (1.9%), 234,300Chinese (21.3%), 154,000Indian (14%), 4,200 Others (0.4%), and 63,300 non-citizens (5.8%).[48] The state has the highest percentage of Indians when compared to other Malaysian states. Up until today the state is known as the strongholds of Adat Perpatih in Malaysia.
According to the 2010 census, the population of Negeri Sembilan is 60.3%Muslim, 21.2%Buddhist, 13.4%Hindu, 2.4%Christian, 1.1% of unknown affiliation, 0.8% non-religious, 0.5%Taoist orChinese religion follower, and 0.3% of followers of other religions.
Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 92.9% of the Chinese population in Negeri Sembilan identify as Buddhists, with significant minority of adherents identifying as Christians (3.6%), practitioners ofChinese 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-MalayBumiputera community are predominantlyAtheists (39.7%), with significant minorities identifying as Christians (28.3%) and Muslims (20.2%).[51] All Malays are Muslims as defined by theConstitution of Malaysia.[52]
Negeri Sembilan is a multiethnic state in which every ethnic group speak their respective languages and dialects. The Negeri Sembilanese people speak a unique variety ofMalay known asNegeri Sembilan Malay or in their native language as Baso Nogoghi. It is not closely related to other varieties of Malay in Peninsular Malaysia but is more closely related with Malay varieties spoken in neighbouringSumatra especiallyvarieties of Minangkabau. Besides Malays, the Chinese community also speak their languages and dialects.Orang Asli peoples likeTemuans speak alanguage closely related to Malay.Standard Malay is widely used throughout the state.
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 ofTelugu,Malayalam andPunjabi exist in the towns of Negeri Sembilan.
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 includeSenawang,Bandar Sri Sendayan,Sungai Gadut,Bandar Enstek andNilai inSeremban, Tanah Merah inPort Dickson andChembong inRembau. Notable companies also set up plants in Negeri Sembilan, such asKellogg's,Dutch Lady,Ajinomoto andCoca-Cola in Bandar Enstek,Hino Motors in Bandar Sri Sendayan,Yakult inSeremban 2,Samsung SDI,Onsemi andNXP Semiconductors in Senawang, andNestlé in Chembong. Nestlé's Chembong plant is also the largestMilo manufacturer in the world, as well as the company's largest global centre of excellence.
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 andPort Dickson – have been gazetted as part of theMalaysia Vision Valley, a 1,534 square kilometres (592 sq mi) new growth corridor conceived from the joint venture betweenSime Darby and both the federal and state governments in 2015 as part of the National Transformation Agenda, the National Physical Plan, theEleventh Malaysia Plan and the 2045 Negeri Sembilan Structural Plan, in order to evenly balancing the existing development in the neighbouringKlang Valley area, providing ample space for the southern extension of theGreater Kuala Lumpur area, as well as to transform Negeri Sembilan into a developed state by 2045.[53][54][55] 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 andJempol – are yet to be developed into an agropolis, to boost foodstuff production in the state and national levels respectively.[56]
The agricultural activity includes rubber andoil palm plantations, livestock, fruit orchards and vegetable farming. About 3,099 square kilometres are used for rubber and oil palm plantations.
TheMinangkabau people brought with them a cultural heritage which is still preserved and practised today as theadat perpatih, amatrilineal system ofinheritance and administration that is unique to the state, where the husband is the head of the household and inheritance passes from mother to daughter. The Minangkabaus in Negeri Sembilan are divided into twelvesuku (clans). Each of thesesuku is led by a chief, known as theLembaga. Eachsuku is broken down into subunits known as thePerut, where each of them are led by a chief, either known as aBuapak (male) orIbu Soko (female). Both theBuapak andIbu Soko play a vital role as people to refer to regarding theadat and religious matters among the subordinates of thePerut, known asAnak Buah. Marriage between members of the same clan is forbidden. The twelvesuku are known as the following, of which the names of eachsuku indicates their area of origin:[citation needed]
Biduanda (Dondo)
Seri Lemak (Solomak)
Seri Melenggang (Somolenggang)
Anak Aceh
Anak Melaka (Anak Melako)
Tiga Nenek (Tigo Nenek)
Tiga Batu (Tigo Batu)
Tanah Datar
Batu Hampar (Tompa)
Payakumbuh (Payokumboh)
Batu Belang (Batu Bolang)
Mungkal (Mungka)
The Minangkabau influence in the state can be found in dances and food as well.
Traditional buildings in Negeri Sembilan are grouped into two different architectures: one directlyMinangkabau with familiarlengkung orgonjong ("curved")buffalo horn motifs, and another featuring flatter orlentik roofs in villages of a "Malay" motif adopted by Minangkabau generations intermarrying withJakun tribes; thelentik houses were based on traditional houses found inKampar,Riau where the Minangkabau migrants stopped first.[57][58]
The musical instruments used to bear some semblance toSumatra, the ancestral home of theMinangkabau people. Dances like the tarian lilin (candle dance) and rentak kuda (the beat of the horse) are popular in Negeri Sembilan and the coordinated movements of the dancers in their colorful costumes in theTarian Piring and the upbeat tempo ofTarian Randai. Eachbeat,rhythm andmovement in these dances combines to form a story, maybe of a bygone myth or simply a reflection of the lifestyles of another era.[citation needed]
They are usually performed at traditional festivities, cultural events and dinner-cum-cultural shows.
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 – 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.
Traditional Negri fare at a restaurant inTerachi.Masak lemak lada api is an iconic dish from the state.
Traditional Negri food is generally very hot and spicy, as one of the ingredients used is thecili padi, one of the hottest types ofchili peppers.Masak lemak lada api, a type ofgulai made with turmeric andcili padi-infusedcoconut milk (santan), is a trademark dish in the state's cuisine. The Negeri Sembilanese are also known for their penchant forsmoked foods (known assalai inMalay), with examples includesembilang salai (smokedcatfish) andayam salai (smokedchicken) and these can also be cookedmasak lemak lada api-style.
Rendang, which is a rich dish of dry braised meat with herbs, spices and coconut milk, is also well known in Negeri Sembilan, and there are variations of it according to the districts where therendang originated, such asrendang maman fromGemencheh inTampin District, made withmaman leaves. Another Negeri Sembilan speciality islemang, glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk in abamboo stem over an open fire. This is normally served withrendang.[6]
Port Dickson – A famous weekend retreat for city dwellers, said to have been named after British officerJohn Frederick Dickson in 1889.[65] Port Dickson is known for its high-end hotel establishments, army bases, pristine beaches facing theStrait of Malacca.
Seri Menanti Royal Museum – Originally a palace for Negeri Sembilan's royal family until 1992, this five-storey wooden palace was built using no nails or screws. The palace exhibits costumes, weaponry, bed chambers as well as documents on the royal lineage on display in the museum[66]
Army Museum – Located in thePort Dickson suburb of Sirusa, it is the largest military museum in Malaysia. The Army Museum (Malay:Muzium Tentera Darat) exhibits artefacts relating to the history of theMalaysian Army.[67]
Mount Datuk – Located inRembau, this 884-metre peak provides a good work out and excellent views from the top, which also include theStrait of Malacca, visible from the peak on a clear day. It is easily accessible via a day trip fromKuala Lumpur.
Lukut Fort and Museum – A museum which contains a Lukut Historical Gallery and other artefacts.
Penarikan Portage – the spot close toBahau town is Jalan Penarikan where boats were carried over the short gap between eastbound and westbound rivers of theMalay Peninsula allowing movement between both coasts of the peninsula. It is described as the first east–west land route in Malaysian history.
Teratak Za'aba – A museum dedicated toZainal Abidin Ahmad, a Malay scholar and linguist who contributed a lot in shaping the modernMalay language. It is located at his birthplace in Kampung Bukit Kerdas,Batu Kikir near Bahau.
Gemas Railway Museum –Gemas,Tampin District is a town known for being located on thejunction between theeast coast andwest coast lines of theKeretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad's (KTMB) railway network. Previously, the museum's building was the formerGemas railway station, which ceased operations in 2013 after 91 years of service, coincident to the completion of the new station building, as part of theelectrification and double tracking of the Seremban-Gemas section of the West Coast Line.
Pasoh Caves – Located in Pasoh Forest Reserve,Jelebu, the Pasoh Caves complex holds the distinction of being the southernmostkarst cave inPeninsular Malaysia as well as the firstPaleolithic site discovered in the southern region, following the discovery of some artefacts as old as 14,000 years, in anexcavation conducted by theScience University of Malaysia (USM).
Batu Maloi Cave – Located inJohol,Kuala Pilah District, the Batu Maloi Cave is a 2.4-kilometre longtalus cave made up of fallen boulders ofgranite with a river flowing through it. Said to be the longest granite cave in Malaysia, and is popular among cavers.
Kenaboi State Park – Located inJelebu, Kenaboi State Park is nestled in theTitiwangsa Mountains. The nature reserve is the main entry point to the tallest mountain in Negeri Sembilan, Mount Besar Hantu (1,462 metres (4,797 ft)) and natural landmarks such as Lata Kijang, Lata Dinding and Lata Berungut.
Mount Tampin – Located inTampin in the southern corner of the state, Mount Tampin is the geographical southern terminus of theTitiwangsa Mountains, at an elevation of 764 metres (2,507 ft).
Negeri Sembilan has several tertiary education institutions. Most of these education institutions are concentrated in major towns in Negeri Sembilan. The list below represents public and private university based in Negeri Sembilan:
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