Yap Kwan Seng
Encyclopedia
Yap Kwan Seng was the last Chinese kapitan
of Kuala Lumpur
from 1889 to 1902. Kapitans were appointed chiefs or headmen of the various ethnic communities during the British colonial rule in what is present-day Malaysia. Kapitans played an important role in the history of the Chinese in Malaysia. They wielded considerable influence, contributing to social, economic and political development in areas under their jurisdiction.
Yap Kwan Seng, of Hakka
descent, was born in 1846 in the Chak Kai district of China
. He moved to Malaya
at the age of 18 and worked as a tin miner in Seremban
.
where he began his hard work to help pioneer the tin mining industry. He made his fortune in tin-mining. It is said he had a workforce of 7,000 and soon owned more tin mines than any of his contemporaries.
As a businessman, he foresaw an increased demand for bricks in fast-growing Kuala Lumpur
and established a kiln in a district which came to be called Brickfields
, a name by which it is still known today.
Yap was elected the fifth Kapitan in 1890 and was also appointed a member of the State Legislative Assembly of Selangor
.
He ran his own small police force that helped him manage his many business interests. Yap was also the first Chinese to serve on the Kuala Lumpur Sanitary Board.
During the Pahang War in 1892 and the Boer War, Yap assisted the British by providing transportation, supplies and funds.
Yap also helped introduced the Chinese system of mining in West Africa
when he sent thirty of his miners to assist the governor Sir William Maxwell in establishing the mining industry.
, Malaysia –Victoria Institution
.
are the stuff of history. Among his numerous achievements, perhaps one of the most significant is the founding of Pooi Shin Thong providing free medical services to the poor. The center grew and was later renamed Tung Shin Hospital, located along Jalan Pudu
. The expenses were, of course, underwritten by the Kapitan himself.
A compassionate leader, he also co-founded the Tai Wah Ward of the Pauper’s Hospital that became the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital as well as Chak Kai Koong Kon in Jalan Sultan.
and it is said that a year before he died in 1901, he donated the princely sum of ten thousand dollars towards famine relief in India
, a gesture which surely qualifies as Malaysia’s first-ever effort at international humanitarian aid.
It was massive, occupying the greater part of the street, with many deep courtyards, and a large garden in front for entertaining guests. Over 50 people, many of whom were servants, lived in the house. The ancestral hall was particularly impressive as it had a grand altar table upon which was placed chunks of crystal, quartz, gold and other precious stones found in the Kapitan’s tin mines.
was apparently even bigger than the Kuala Lumpur
residence. It was long and deep, with countless rooms, nooks and crannies, and so large that many sections were perpetually dim as they had no access to natural light.
A major road in Kuala Lumpur
called Jalan Yap Kwan Seng is named after him. Jalan Sin Chew Kee, which is located off Jalan Pudu
, was also named in his honour after his tin mining business.
The ancestral book documented by Yap Kwan Seng has the first names of his descendents pre-determined. The generation after him is given the name Yap Tai .., and the next Yap Pow ..., followed by Yap Peng ... and Yap Wai ... The book seems to be now lost in the hands of one of his descendants and would be historically beneficial if it can be located.
[Added by Dato' Yap Ping Kon, from the Yap Tai Wah/Yap Poh Tho lineage]:
Each son in the Yap Tai generation has at least a copy of the ancestral book. Hopefully a copy would surface from someone in the Yap Peng (also spelt as Piang or Ping) generation for it to be digitized/translated into English and posted here. My family line copy, given to my brother, Yap Peng Hoe by Yap Tai Kim, was unfortunately destroyed by bookworms back in the 1980s. This ancestral book makes very interesting reading. It tells of Yap Kwan Seng's hardship in ChiXi (or Chak Kai, the village when he was born), his indenture and hardship in Malaya, the dangers in his voyages to and from China, etc. Incidentally, he also wrote that after the Yap Wai/Wei generation, the five generation middle names should be re-cycled ie. Kwan, Tai, Pow/Poh, Peng/Piang/Ping, Wai/Wei.
There may be a few from the Yap Pow/Poh generation still living and if so, all would be in a very advanced age. I know of one, Yap Pow Sum (age 85), only son of Yap Tai Kim. From Yap Tai Wah, his last remaining/living daughter is Yap Swee Lin.
Kapitan China
Kapitan Cina or Capitan China was originally a Portuguese title for the representative of a Chinese enclave. The 15th century rulers of Southeast Asia, such as Melaka and Banten , chose to deal with a single individual from each ethnic group under their rule...
of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
from 1889 to 1902. Kapitans were appointed chiefs or headmen of the various ethnic communities during the British colonial rule in what is present-day Malaysia. Kapitans played an important role in the history of the Chinese in Malaysia. They wielded considerable influence, contributing to social, economic and political development in areas under their jurisdiction.
Yap Kwan Seng, of Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
descent, was born in 1846 in the Chak Kai district of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He moved to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
at the age of 18 and worked as a tin miner in Seremban
Seremban
Seremban is the capital of the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, located within the district of Seremban, one of the seven districts of Negeri Sembilan. The town's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Seremban...
.
Entrepreneurship
In 1870, Yap packed his bags for SelangorSelangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
where he began his hard work to help pioneer the tin mining industry. He made his fortune in tin-mining. It is said he had a workforce of 7,000 and soon owned more tin mines than any of his contemporaries.
As a businessman, he foresaw an increased demand for bricks in fast-growing Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and established a kiln in a district which came to be called Brickfields
Brickfields
Brickfields is a small to medium-sized town and residential neighbourhood located just outside central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is known as Kuala Lumpur's Little India due to the high percentage of Indian residents and businesses.- History :In 1881, a flood swept through Kuala Lumpur following...
, a name by which it is still known today.
Yap was elected the fifth Kapitan in 1890 and was also appointed a member of the State Legislative Assembly of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
.
He ran his own small police force that helped him manage his many business interests. Yap was also the first Chinese to serve on the Kuala Lumpur Sanitary Board.
During the Pahang War in 1892 and the Boer War, Yap assisted the British by providing transportation, supplies and funds.
Yap also helped introduced the Chinese system of mining in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
when he sent thirty of his miners to assist the governor Sir William Maxwell in establishing the mining industry.
Education
Kapitan Yap was also a firm believer in education and co-founded one of the oldest schools in Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia –Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution
Victoria Institution is a premier secondary school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The school is widely known as V.I. and a student of Victoria Institution bears the name Victorian....
.
Healthcare
Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng’s philanthropic deeds and his many contributions to the birth of Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
are the stuff of history. Among his numerous achievements, perhaps one of the most significant is the founding of Pooi Shin Thong providing free medical services to the poor. The center grew and was later renamed Tung Shin Hospital, located along Jalan Pudu
Jalan Pudu
Jalan Pudu is a major road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.-Construction of the Jalan Pudu-Hang Tuah intersections:The 114-year-old Pudu Prison's wall between Jalan Pudu and Jalan Hang Tuah was demolished on 20 June 2010 by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to make way for a road expansion and tunnel project...
. The expenses were, of course, underwritten by the Kapitan himself.
A compassionate leader, he also co-founded the Tai Wah Ward of the Pauper’s Hospital that became the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital as well as Chak Kai Koong Kon in Jalan Sultan.
Philanthropy
His philanthropic deeds extended beyond MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and it is said that a year before he died in 1901, he donated the princely sum of ten thousand dollars towards famine relief in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, a gesture which surely qualifies as Malaysia’s first-ever effort at international humanitarian aid.
Kuala Lumpur
The Kapitan’s residence in Kuala Lumpur was located on High Street in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, which is today known as Jalan Tun H.S. Lee.It was massive, occupying the greater part of the street, with many deep courtyards, and a large garden in front for entertaining guests. Over 50 people, many of whom were servants, lived in the house. The ancestral hall was particularly impressive as it had a grand altar table upon which was placed chunks of crystal, quartz, gold and other precious stones found in the Kapitan’s tin mines.
Macau
The kapitan's mansion in MacauMacau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
was apparently even bigger than the Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
residence. It was long and deep, with countless rooms, nooks and crannies, and so large that many sections were perpetually dim as they had no access to natural light.
Death and Recognition
Yap died in 1902 and was remembered as a community leader who was greatly concerned with the welfare of the people and his charity initiatives. After his death in 1902, the position of kapitan was abolished.A major road in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
called Jalan Yap Kwan Seng is named after him. Jalan Sin Chew Kee, which is located off Jalan Pudu
Jalan Pudu
Jalan Pudu is a major road in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.-Construction of the Jalan Pudu-Hang Tuah intersections:The 114-year-old Pudu Prison's wall between Jalan Pudu and Jalan Hang Tuah was demolished on 20 June 2010 by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to make way for a road expansion and tunnel project...
, was also named in his honour after his tin mining business.
Lineage
Yap Kwan Seng is survived by his great great great grandson Daniel Yap who is a prominent singer and advertising executive.The ancestral book documented by Yap Kwan Seng has the first names of his descendents pre-determined. The generation after him is given the name Yap Tai .., and the next Yap Pow ..., followed by Yap Peng ... and Yap Wai ... The book seems to be now lost in the hands of one of his descendants and would be historically beneficial if it can be located.
[Added by Dato' Yap Ping Kon, from the Yap Tai Wah/Yap Poh Tho lineage]:
Each son in the Yap Tai generation has at least a copy of the ancestral book. Hopefully a copy would surface from someone in the Yap Peng (also spelt as Piang or Ping) generation for it to be digitized/translated into English and posted here. My family line copy, given to my brother, Yap Peng Hoe by Yap Tai Kim, was unfortunately destroyed by bookworms back in the 1980s. This ancestral book makes very interesting reading. It tells of Yap Kwan Seng's hardship in ChiXi (or Chak Kai, the village when he was born), his indenture and hardship in Malaya, the dangers in his voyages to and from China, etc. Incidentally, he also wrote that after the Yap Wai/Wei generation, the five generation middle names should be re-cycled ie. Kwan, Tai, Pow/Poh, Peng/Piang/Ping, Wai/Wei.
There may be a few from the Yap Pow/Poh generation still living and if so, all would be in a very advanced age. I know of one, Yap Pow Sum (age 85), only son of Yap Tai Kim. From Yap Tai Wah, his last remaining/living daughter is Yap Swee Lin.