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Photo :
Seri Menanti
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History
Negeri Sembilan was settled between the 15th and the 16th century by the Minangkabau
people of West Sumatra who migrated to the region during the height of the Malay
Sultanate in Malacca.
The Minangkabau brought along with them a rich cultural heritage which is still
preserved and practised today as the fascinating 'Adat Pepatih', a
matrilineal system of inheritance and administration that is unique to the State.
In its early history, Negeri Sembilan as a unified State did not exist. It
was rather a loose confederation of nine fiefdoms which developed in the secluded
valley of the region. It was only in 1773 when Raja Melewar became the Yam Tuan
that the fiefdoms of Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Johol, Jelebu, Naning, Segamat, Ulu
Pahang, Jelai and Kelang were brought together under his rule.
The history of modern Negeri Sembilan began with British intervention in the
districts of Sungai Ujong, Rembau and Jelebu. In Sungai Ujong, the British intervened
to stop the conflict between Dato' Kelana and Dato' Bandar which was
affecting the tin trade along Sungai Linggi (Linggi River). The British supported
Dato' Kelana and appointed W.A. Pickering as the British resident in 1874.
By 1889, a treaty was made between the Yam Tuan Seri Menanti and the four Datuk
Undang wherein the Yam Tuan was installed as the ruler of the state of Negeri
Sembilan. In the same year, the first British Resident of Negeri Sembilan, Martin
Lister was appointed.
Economy
Negeri Sembilan is mainly an agricultural state. However, the establishment
of several industrial estates enhanced the manufacturing sector as a major contributor
towards the state's economy.
Agricultural activity includes rubber and oil palm plantations, livestock,
fruit orchards and vegetable farming. About 309,850 hectares are used for rubber
and oil palm plantations.
Manufacturing activity includes electrical and electronics, textiles, furniture,
chemicals, machinery, metalworks and rubber products. The main industrial areas
are Senawang, Sungai Gadut, Tuanku Jaafar Industrial Park, Nilai and Tanah Merah
in Port Dickson. Total area under the industrial sector is 2,015 hectares.
Geography
Negeri Sembilan, located in the central region of Peninsular Malaysia, is bordered
in the north by Selangor, in the east by Pahang and in the south by Melaka and
Johor. Covering a total area of 6,645 sq km, the land comprises of picturesque
valleys and plains amidst undulating hills and mountains. As the Titiwangsa
mountain range of the Peninsula tapers down towards the interiors of Johor,
the mountainous and forested terrain of the eastern part of the Negeri Sembilan
gradually give way to the gentler, undulating rubber and oil palm plantations
of the west region.
Climate
Warm, sunny days and cool nights all year round with occasional rain in the
evenings. Temperature ranges from 23°C to 33°C . Humidity is usually
exceeds 82.3%. Annual rainfall is 2,670 mm. Although rain falls throughout the
year, September to November are said to be the wettest months.
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