Gemas


Gemas is a small town in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border.
Gemas is notable for being at the railway junction between the Malaysian west and east coast rail lines. For this reason, Gemas is comparatively busy for a town of its size.
In addition to the original town centre of Gemas, the Johorean side of Gemas is known as Gemas Baharu which is located about 1 km from Gemas town centre. It means that the Gemas town centre is in Negeri Sembilanese side.
To the southwest stands the famed Gunung Ledang, also known as Mount Ophir, with a height of 1276 m.

Demographics

Malays make up the majority of the population at 83% followed by the Chinese 8%, Indians at 5% and others 4%.

Education

Primary school

Rail

Gemas is located at the intersection of the West Coast and East Coast routes of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu rail network. Trains from all directions stop at Gemas railway station, making it an important railway hub.
Gemas also marks the southern end of the electrified and double-track section of the West Coast Line. The electrification and double-tracking works was completed in 2013. The electric train services KTM Komuter and ETS services were extended to Gemas in October 2015, increasing services and cutting down travel time to Kuala Lumpur and other northern West Coast destinations.

Road

Gemas is connected to other towns by federal highways 1 and 10. Route links Gemas with Seremban, the capital of Negeri Sembilan as well as Tampin and all the way to Johor Bahru.
Route links Gemas to Temerloh in Pahang. This road is built almost parallel to the KTM East Coast Line tracks, passing through Bahau and Triang, two important railway towns.

Gemencheh Bridge during Battle of Malaya

During the Battle of Malaya in the Second World War, Gemencheh Bridge near Gemas was the site of a fierce battle between the Imperial Japanese Army and the 2/30th Battalion, 8th Division, Australian Imperial Force. Commanding Officer of the Battalion was Lieutenant Colonel Frederick "Black Jack" Galleghan. Gemencheh Bridge was a bridge over the Kelamah River that connected Gemas with the larger neighbouring town of Tampin. The Japanese had passed through Tampin and needed to cross the bridge to reach Gemas.
On 14 January 1942, "B" Company of the 2/30th Battalion, launched an ambush against the Japanese in the hope of preventing them from advancing further south. As the advancing Japanese soldiers passed by the ambush site, the bridge was blown. The battle following the ambush, and a further battle closer to Gemas, lasted two days. It ended with the Australian withdrawal through Gemas to Fort Rose Estate.
Four days later, another encounter between Japanese and Allied soldiers took place near Parit Sulong during the Battle of Malaya. Allied troops, including the Australian 2/19th and 2/29th Battalions, were surrounded and routed there.
A memorial remembering fallen Australians now stands by the site of the destroyed Gemencheh Bridge in Federal route.
Recently, a documentary titled The Battle of Gemas was jointly undertaken by Tahan Rata Filem and AVI to expand on the importance of this battle in the context of the Battle of Malaya and the fall of Singapore.

Politics

Gemas forms its own electoral district in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly. The seat is currently chaired by Abdul Razak Bin Ab Said of UMNO/BN.
On the national level, Gemas is part of Tampin constituency of the Malaysian Parliament, currently represented by Hasan Baharom, from Parti Amanah Negara, part of federal ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan.
Since 1988 Gemas is also an autonomous sub-district, consisting of the Adat Perpatih customary districts of Gemas and Air Kuning. Municipal works and parliamentary representation still remain under Tampin. To date Gemas is the only autonomous sub-district in the state.