Yap Ah Loy should be remembered for developing KL, says family

The third Kapitan China Yap Ah Loy almost went bankrupt but never gave up on Kuala Lumpur and its people, say his descendants.

PETALING JAYA: The third Kapitan China of Kuala Lumpur Yap Ah Loy’s efforts in rebuilding the tin mining settlement after the Selangor Civil War, or better known as the Klang War, in the early 1870s should not be forgotten.

His great-grandson James Yap Mook San, 80, said Yap should be remembered as the developer of Kuala Lumpur.

“Kuala Lumpur was ground zero, mines were destroyed. Many lost hope and left the place after the war, but my great-grandfather stayed on to rebuild the city.

“He began by asking people to grow padi and other crop, he took up loans to develop the place and was almost bankrupt due to the slump in tin prices, but he never gave up,” he told Bernama recently.

James said despite facing another catastrophe in 1881, when part of the settlement was destroyed in a fire, and a flood which swept through the town at the end of that year, they did not deter Yap from rebuilding Kuala Lumpur,

“Will KL be what it is today if not for Yap Ah Loy and his people who had stayed put and continued rebuilding it?” he asked.

It was also due to the development of Kuala Lumpur that the British Resident moved its office to Kuala Lumpur from Klang and paved the way for Kuala Lumpur to become the capital city of Malaysia, James said.

James’ son Glenn Yap added that Yap laid the foundation for Kuala Lumpur to become what it is today.

“He did a lot when he was in power. He even started a brick-making factory in Brickfields, where the name was derived. He built the first Chinese school, temple, charitable homes for the sick and the elderly, as well as basic infrastructure for the residents,” he said.

J.M Gullick in his book, The Story of Kuala Lumpur (1857-1993), described Yap as Mr Kuala Lumpur until 1879, before the British stepped in to take over the town.

Even Abddur-Razzaq Lubis in his book, Sutan Puasa Founder of Kuala Lumpur, did not deny that Yap Ah Loy was largely responsible for the post-Klang War reconstruction of Kuala Lumpur up till 1880.

James said the contribution of his great-grandfather should be preserved and remembered in years to come, especially in historical places like Medan Pasar, Central Market and Sin Sze Si Ya Temple.

He also expressed hope that Medan Pasar could be renamed Yap Ah Loy Square since it was the place where his residence was built and where his business started.

Yap died on April 15, 1884, at the age of 47. -FMT