Seremban is the state capital of Negeri Sembilan. It lies about an hour south of Kuala Lumpur in the southwest of Peninsular Malaysia. Those traveling by land between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur must pass through this city, which is the commercial center of the state. Although it does not have its own airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2 are only 30 minutes away by car.
Seremban is at the center of Minangkabau culture in Malaysia, which makes it a fascinating place to explore. The Minangkabaus are an ethnic group originating from the highlands of Sumatra, Indonesia, and the Riau Islands. They are about 6 million individuals, distributed in different countries of the Southeast Asian region. The Minangkabaus are renowned for their unique roof architecture, reminiscent of buffalo horns. Many buildings in Seremban bear this unique feature.
The Minangkabau have matrilineal hereditary and administrative rules, called "Adat Perpatih". So don't be surprised if you find that women generally have a higher social status than men in Seremban. This is not only visible in the city's daily life, but also in the professional culture of many inhabitants of the city.
Forming part of the Greater Klang Valley conurbation, Seremban offers much more affordable living than Kuala Lumpur, and is now considered the ideal place of residence for middle-income households. Many people even choose to live in Seremban and work in Kuala Lumpur. The highway lanes linking Seremban to Kuala Lumpur have tolls but are still very affordable. It takes a little less than an hour to travel between the two cities, depending on road traffic.
New commercial and residential areas have been built in recent years in Seremban, leading to population growth in town. Shopping malls, private hospitals and educational institutions are part of the trending building boom. With real estate becoming increasingly difficult to find in the Klang Valley, buyers are flocking to Seremban, and a major real estate project called The Malaysia Vision Valley (MVV) project is currently underway. This comes as the result of a collaboration between the government and the private sector aiming at making the province of Negeri Sembilan an attractive and prosperous megalopolis along with the potential to decongest the former administrative capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. The construction of new highways has also contributed to the rapid development of Seremban. A fourth lane along the North-South highway, from Nilai to Seremban, was recently constructed.
Local economy and labor market
During the 19th century, Seremban was a tin mining base along the Linggi River. The city was known at that time as Sungei Ujong, in connection with the adjacent river. While tin is still mined today, rubber production is now the city's main focus. Rice is also still grown in the well-irrigated valleys located to the east of the city.
The economy of the state of Negeri Sembilan is largely dominated by the industrial sector, which spearheads development and growth throughout the region. This economic pillar still accounts for around half of the state's GDP today. However, according to several local economic observers, the financial health of the Negeri Sembilan today largely depends on commercial investments.
Nowadays the services sector is another essential sector of activity in the city of Seremban and the region. It represents an important investment target that mainly attracts young dynamic local professionals or highly skilled expatriates. There is no shortage of opportunities in Seremban, and many companies offering a variety of services have flourished over the past decade. In addition to the decentralization policy of the former administrative capital, other government programs such as aid granted to start-ups allow the continuous modernization of the city and its surroundings.
Digital technologies, electronics and new technologies that encompass the development of public apps and tailor-made applications for companies, are among the main areas of interest that attract young start-ups. And above all this, there is a highly developed commercial culture in Seremban which is a genuine crossroads of populations and cultures between Singapore and Malaysia. You thus have the recipe for successful development, something sought after by the Malaysian leaders who initiated the vast MVV project. This has now entered its second phase. MVV 2.0, indeed, remains focused on the Negeri Sembilan region.
The Malaysia Vision Valley (MVV) project, a 30-year private sector-led and federally and state-supported project, was officially launched in late 2017. This project involves the most developed areas of the state, namely Seremban and Port Dickson, as they contain over 70% of the state's population and most industries. The project initially focused on the industrial and tourism sectors. Ultimately, higher value industries like green technology are expected to have a big impact on solving environmental problems and supporting economic and social growth in the region.
It is estimated that such a project could attract over RM296 billion in investment and create 1.38 million jobs, in addition to providing public facilities, recreational areas and affordable housing. However, Covid-19 has considerably slowed the development of the area since 2020, just like how the pandemic initiated many changes in Malaysia. Beyond expectation, the country experienced astart of economic recovery in 2021, and growth should return to an acceptable level by the end of 2023, according to economic analysts.
The city of Seremban already has thirteen international schools and several universities, but it should also see the opening of new high-tech industries, as well as research and education hubs.
Given the weight of the industrial, tertiary and tourism sectors within Seremban outskirts, notwithstanding the upcoming launch of the MVV project, foreign expertise is becoming increasingly valued in Seremban. A few years ago, certain positions, particularly in the tourism sector, were not always easily filled by the local labor market. A good command of English, as well as previous experience in Asia and the practice of an Asian language, are all valuable assets for future candidates.
Finding a job in Seremban
If you want to find a job in Seremban, it is advisable to start your research on general and specialized job sites. Expat forums can also be of great support and provide insight into this experience.
Remember that there are different categories of work permits in Malaysia that vary depending on your sector of activity, the industry in which your employer operates or your level of expertise. Considering the strong population growth and the multiplicity of companies present in different sectors in Seremban in recent years, expatriates are now the new staple choice.
Keep also in mind that certain trades are not accessible to foreigners, and that the Malaysian government seeks to protect the employment of the local population by promoting the employment of citizens of the country in companies. In some sectors, the employment of an expatriate in place of a Malaysian must also be justified by the employer.
With the improvement of infrastructures, the modernization of services, the road service to neighboring metropolises, the vast commercial landscape and the pleasant standard of living of the city, Seremban is definitely the new pole of attraction that is growing in popularity among the expatriate population in Malaysia. All these advantageous features also attracted large international companies that have come to offer their services and products in this region which has enormous growth potential. They are by far among the biggest providers of local jobs for expatriates.
Nowadays several international companies focused on financial or digital services are among Seremban's largest enterprises. By the end of 2021, Seremban's most successful companies were Accenture, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Deloitte, International Business Machine Corporation (IBM), KPMG, Citi, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), DXC Technologies and Dell Technologies. Consider checking with these companies if you are looking to work in Malaysia. They often have vacancies for different types of foreign professionals with good experience in the Eastern work culture.
Industries such as manufacturing, metallurgy, mechanics, textiles or food are also major providers of executive jobs for qualified expatriates in Seremban. Moreover, given the growing number of foreigners settling in the city or its suburbs, there are more and more teaching positions to be filled in the many international private schools, most of which were opened during the last five years to respond to an explosion in demand for such educational institutions in the region.
Seremban is also home to more and more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owned and launched by foreigners, although the number of new companies created within the city is still far from the figures recorded by predictable Kuala Lumpur. However, if you feel like an entrepreneur, it is essential that you know that setting up a business in Malaysia requires a lot of rigor and patience, given the administrative process for registration and license obtainment which can often be difficult, long and tedious. In addition, as with employment, foreign companies are limited to certain sectors of activity with a view to promoting local entrepreneurship.
Internet penetration, essential for the health of emerging economic sectors in Malaysia's major urban centers, has experienced a strong acceleration since the early 2010s in Seremban and within its immediate areas of influence. With an average download speed of 25.98 Mb per second recorded in the city, Seremban however remains below the national average, which is 31.34 Mb per second in 2022. The number of operators has nevertheless increased in recent years, and this new competition foretells a race towards the improvement of Internet services. This can only be profitable to local businesses and to the development of the city. Most of Seremban's shops and businesses are already benefitting from more than adequate coverage.
This also makes Seremban a very attractive city for digital nomads in Malaysia. Nowadays the city offers a wide choice of coworking spaces that are aimed at accommodating freelancers, small local businesses and start-ups while offering various packages and services.
Over the next few years, as soon as Malaysia will have experienced sufficient economic recovery, investments should resume their cruising speed in Seremban and in the state of Negeri Sembilan thanks to the MVV 2.0 project. Consequently, Seremban's area of influence is expected to keep expanding well beyond the city limits and bring new opportunities to those seeking to settle there for professional reasons.
Useful links:
Official portal of the Municipality of Seremban
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