BACKGROUND
NegeriSembilan, literally meaning 'Nine States', covers an area of 6,645 sq km in the central region of West Malaysia.

The popular beach resort Port Dickson has been a big draw among local and foreign sun seekers.

Other than beaches, visitors will also find the Minangkabau architecture here fascinating. The traditional architecture features sweeping buffalo horn-shaped roof peaks. This unique feature has even been incorporated in newer buildings such as the State Mosque and the State Secretariat Building.

HISTORY
NegeriSembilan was settled between the 15th and 16th century by the Minangkabaus from West Sumatra migrating here during the height of the Melaka Sultanate. The Minangkabaus brought along with them a rich cultural heritage which is preserved and practised until today.

NegeriSembilan was a loose confederation of 9 fiefdoms in the early days. In 1773, Raja Melewar became the Yam Tuan and he brought together the fiefdoms of Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Johol, Jelebu, Naning, Segamat, Ulu Pahang, Jelai and Kelang under his rule.

In 1874, the British appointed W A Pickering as the British Resident to help administer NegeriSembilan.

GETTING THERE
The ultramodern Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Sepang is a mere 30 minutes away from the state capital Seremban. With the completion of North-South Highway, NegeriSembilan is even more easily accessible from major towns in West Malaysia.

Tourists can also choose to take a train from Butterworth, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to Seremban, from where frequent buses travel to the popular beach resort of Port Dickson. The rail service to the east coast states of Pahang and Kelantan begins from the town of Gemas.