Seremban

History

Sungai Ujong, also known as Sening Ujong, as it was originally known, was an ancient settlement. It has been said in the Malay Annals that King Parameswara reportedly visited Sening Ujong after fleeing the kingdom of Singapura before ultimately establishing the Malacca Sultanate. The same settlement was also referred to as Sang Hyang Ujong in Javanese accounts, notably the Nagarakretagama, as well as Suneujon in Godinho de Erédia's cartographic records, which dates back to 1613. Growth took off, as with most major towns in Peninsular Malaysia, after the discovery of tin ore in the 1870s. The discovery of tin in a nearby area called Rasah saw an influx of Arab, Malay and Chinese immigrants to work on the mines and trade there. Most of the local Malays were farmers. Renamed as Seremban, the town flourished originally as a mining centre in the 1840s. The Linggi River served as the sole outlet to ferry tin and supplies in and out of the town. Revenue came not only from tin trade but also from the large amount of taxes collected, much to the displeasure of the traders and the British colonists at the neighbouring port of Malacca. The local chieftains of the late 19th century, namely the Dato' Kelana and the Dato' Shahbandar of Sungai Ujong were at odds with each other on the rights to collect taxes and ownership and control of the mines. The rivalry to assert influence and authority opened the door for British intervention in Negeri Sembilan. The British sided with Dato' Kelana upon invitation and defeated Dato' Shahbandar's forces who was later sent into exile to Singapore. In a show of gratitude to the British for helping him win the war, Dato' Kelana had no choice but to accept a British Resident whose job was to advise him on matters other than religion and Malay…

Geography

Seremban is located 30 kilometres inland from the coast. It is situated in the Linggi River valley, at the western fringes of the Titiwangsa Mountains. The terrain is generally hilly, and the soil is mostly reddish laterite soil, suitable for the cultivation of rubber and palm oil, thus making Seremban the agricultural centre for the state. Since the establishment of Seremban, the Linggi River has played an important role in the city's growth. During the boom period of tin mining, the Linggi River served as the major transportation route for tin traders. Today, it is one of the major sources of water for the Seremban metropolitan area and Negeri Sembilan. The climate of Seremban, like most parts of Peninsular Malaysia, is generally hot and humid (tropical) with a mean temperature of about 26–30 degrees Celsius. Most of the rainfall is experienced during the inter-monsoon periods of April and October. The weather remains generally dry for the rest of the year with occasional showers.

Most-observed species

• Javan Myna

  Acridotheres javanicus Cabanis, 1851 · Aves
  133
• Zebra Dove

  Geopelia striata (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  116
• Yellow-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus goiavier (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  115
• Asian Glossy Starling

  Aplonis panayensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  106
• Pacific Swallow

  Hirundo javanica Sparrman, 1789 · Aves
  95
• House Crow

  Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  89
• Black-naped Oriole

  Oriolus chinensis Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  86
• White-throated Kingfisher

  Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  83