- Yap Kwan Seng
Infobox_Politician
name = Yap Kwan Seng
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birth_date = 1846
birth_place =China
residence =Kuala Lumpur ,Malaysia
death_date = 1902
death_place =Kuala Lumpur
office =Kapitan
term_start = 1889
term_end = 1902
predecessor = Yap Ah Shak
successor = Post abolished
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occupation = Kapitan
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footnotes =Yap Kwan Seng (1846 - 1902) was the last Chinese
kapitan ofKuala 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-dayMalaysia . Kapitans played an important role in the history of the Chinese inMalaysia . 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 ofChina . He moved to Malaya at the age of 18 and worked as a tin miner inSeremban .Entrepreneurship
In 1870, Yap packed his bags for
Selangor 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 calledBrickfields , 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 ofSelangor .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 governorSir William Maxwell in establishing the mining industry.ocial Contributions
Education
Kapitan Yap was also a firm believer in education and co-founded one of the oldest schools in
Kuala Lumpur ,Malaysia –Victoria Institution .Healthcare
Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng’s philanthropic deeds and his many contributions to the birth of
Kuala Lumpur 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 renamedTung Shin Hospital , located alongJalan 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.Philanthropy
His philanthropic deeds extended beyond Malaya 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.Houses
Yap Kwan Seng owned houses in
Kuala Lumpur andMacau 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
Macau was apparently even bigger than theKuala 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.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 calledJalan Yap Kwan Seng is named after him. Jalan Sin Chew Kee, which is located offJalan Pudu , was also named in his honour after his tin mining business.ee also
*
Yap Ah Loy References
* [http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/28/central/17551213&sec=central Last Kapitan's legacy lives on] , The Star, April 28, 2007.
* [http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/8/22/lifefocus/18627649&sec=lifefocus The last Kapitan] , The Star, August 22, 2007.
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