Nilai

Etymology

The word Nilai means value in Malay.

Founding

Nilai has its own unique origin and history. Historically, Nilai was under luak Sungai Ujong that was administered by waris di Darat or waris di Air. Under Dato’ Johan from waris di Darat there are three Dato’ Lingkungan that control lead the 3 corak suku Batu Hampar that are concentrated in a few villages. Other lines including those from Bentan that are not based on suku, but are based on the village where they live. As a Lembaga waris Perut Hulu, Waris Telaga Undang Dato’ Johan is not a titian balai because Dato’ Andika is more senior. However the power endowed by Dato’ Kelana Putera to collect tax until the year 1894 shows that the Dato’ Johan position with respect to balai Undang is important.

The third Dato’ Johan which is Dato’ Maamor is the Dato’ Kelana Putra, the 8th Undang Luak Sungai Ujong. Even while being appointed as Pesaka Dato' Kelana Putera, Dato’ Maamor is still a child. At that time, Pesaka Dato' Kelana Putera position is left vacant since 1887 when Dato' Mohd Yufof, the Undang Luak Sungai Ujong is relieved from duty. Because waris Perut Hulu does not have a son to hold the pesaka, so the anak-anak buah unanimously appointed Dato’ Maamor who was still a child to hold the pesaka Dato' Johan and then titled Dato’ Kelana.

The jurisdiction of Dato’ Johan also covers Lenggeng Mukim which includes Mendum Village, Lenggeng Village, Sungai Jai Village, Hulu Beranang Village and Dacing Village. All these villages have their own ketua adat called ‘Tua Waris’. There are also suku of Minangkabau people that are concentrated on other luak in Negeri Sembilan before settling in Lenggeng Village. To ensure their welfare in Luak Sungai Ujong, all suku were given ‘Tua Waris’ to be their representative in matters relating to tradition and administration in Balai Undang Luak.

Recent times

Nilai was under Seremban District Council, and then upgraded to Nilai Municipal Council in 2002.

Climate

The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical rainforest (Af).

Demographics

Chinese make up the majority of the population at 46%, followed by the Malays at 31%, and Indians at 22%.

Education

An initiative by the state government to turn Negeri Sembilan into an educational hub has also borne fruit as several foreign and local institutions of higher education have agreed to set up operations here.

Among them are Britain’s Epsom College which has acquired land in Bandar Enstek to set up its first institute outside England, Epsom College in Malaysia and the City University College of Science and Technology which signed an agreement to acquire a 40 ha parcel of land here recently.

The state would also benefit from the construction of the RM1.2 bil Education Ministry complex which would, among others, house the Aminuddin Baki Institute, Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Pendidikan Teknik, English Language Institute, Tunku Kurshiah College and Nilai Polytechnic as well as the International Islamic University Malaysia’s medical faculty and the International University College of Nursing.

Several institutions of higher learning that have been built in the area include Nilai University, INTI International University and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

Car

PLUS Expressway exit 214 serves Nilai. Nilai is also the southern end of ELITE which connects it to Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor. Motorists from western Selangor are thus able to get to Negeri Sembilan, Malacca or Johor while bypassing Kuala Lumpur.

Public transport

KTM Komuter has two stations serving Nilai constituency:  KB09  Batang Benar and  KB10  Nilai.

Buses are available from Nilai Komuter station to KLIA.

Politics

Nilai is part of the Seremban constituency of the Dewan Rakyat of the Malaysian Parliament, currently represented by Anthony Loke Siew Fook of the Democratic Action Party.

On the provincial level, Nilai is represented in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly by Arul Kumar a/l Jambunathan, also from the DAP.