Seremban's city status deferred to end 2019

SEREMBAN (September 5): A plan to officially declare Seremban a city next January has been deferred, due to delays in refurbishment works at the proposed Seremban City Council headquarters.

Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun said that the town will only acquire city status towards the end of the year, as reported by The Star.

"We have also identified some other weaknesses and will have to work on these.

"And then, there are also some issues with the new positions once Seremban is officially declared a city," he was quoted by the daily as saying.

Improvements to the infrastructure and other basic amenities in the town were also needed.

The former Barisan Nasional government of the state applied for city status in 2008, only to defer it due to a lack of proper infrastructure and public amenities.

In 2012, the federal government approved city status, but the state government decided to amalgamate Seremban and Nilai municipal councils to better serve the people.

Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced then that his administration would officially declare Seremban a city on Jan 14, 2019, in conjunction with the birthday celebration of state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

When asked about action to be action against the contractor for the delay, Aminuddin said: "We do not know what caused the delay. We will give them an opportunity to be heard before we decide what to do.”

On a separate matter, Aminuddin said the state exco will appoint 45-year-old Hanis Huzaira Abdul Hanan as the new Nilai Municipal Council president.

"She will become the first woman to be made a council president in Negri Sembilan, once the Public Service Department endorses this," he said.

Hanis Huzaira, currently serving at the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry, is from Seremban.