The Tampin bus station in Negeri Sembilan will soon be a distant memory as within a year, it will be relocated and renamed to "Sebang Sentral."

From a non-roofed 'cowboy' stop which was later upgraded in 1997 with various business activities, Tampin bus station will cease operations.

Within a year, the bus stop is said to be relocated to a new location and named Sebang Sentral in Pulau Sebang, Melaka, when Pulau Sebang is turned into a brand-new city next year. The upcoming Sebang Sentral will replace the existing Pulau Sebang Tampin Bus Station.

The city will be in the middle of the Melaka and Negeri Sembilan border, and will see the rebranding of Pulau Sebang which has been overshadowed by the city of Tampin.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the construction of a 0.6-hectare public transport terminal worth about RM5 million is expected to be completed in January 2019, which will also boost the name of Pulau Sebang.

The good news of having a bus stop in the middle of the border was received positively by public transport users. However, some were sentimental as the old bus stop will only remain a memory.

A local news portal recently reported that a food stall operator, Mohamad Jibrail Hanifah, 60, said the bus stop was like a second home, where he had been selling hot dishes since the early 1990s.

"I have a lot of memories here. In the beginning business was okay, the location was good but over time traders stopped their businesses because of old age and declining business. However, I am still here because I am so used to the business environment here," he said.

However, he said, if the bus station is to be relocated and upgraded, he is prepared to go with the changes.

"If ordered to move, I will follow. I think it is really good that they are upgrading facilities for the benefit of the people, and I hope the new place will also look good and attractive. "The (new) location makes it easy for people to trade and students from three nearby schools," he added.

Jaafar Ujang, 75, from Kampung Sungai Buloh in Melaka has a lot of memories at the bus stop as he had been using the services there since 1964. He still takes buses there with his wife at least once a year to go to Seremban.

"It had gotten better over the years, from no roof to roofed, and strategically located but I support the decision of relocating it to a bigger facility because bus services need big spaces, especially during festive seasons where it tends to get overcrowded," he said.

Meanwhile, trader Zainal Aripin was contemplating whether to move his 30-year-old apam balik business to the new location or not. "It is just a hassle to go and apply for a new trading licence. Besides, I have too many memories here. It was such a lively place where friends would meet up and just hang around," he said. However, he commended the relocation as the new bus stop will be near the train facilities.