Bahau

Bahau is the principal town of Jempol District in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan. Its name is believed to come from a Chinese phrase, and local tradition pairs it with nearby Mahsan and Tampin as the horse's mouth, body and tail. The area was first noted as a point on the Denai Penarikan, an overland route along which merchants pulled boats between the Muar and Serting rivers. The town itself grew after Chinese settlers arrived in search of tin and later lived on rubber, palm oil and timber. During the Second World War about seven hundred Eurasian and Chinese Catholic families were sent here from Singapore to farm, and many died of malaria and hardship. The 2020 census counted 32,018 residents, mainly Chinese, Malay and Indian. Federal Routes 10 and 13 meet here, and the town is a station on the East Coast Jungle Railway.