Kapitan Yap Ah Loy Memorial / 甲必丹葉亞來墓園.
Location :- Kuala Lumpur, Kwong Tong Cemetary / 吉隆坡广东义山.
An evening visit to Kwong Tong Cemetery, Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
This tomb belongs to the late Kapitan Yap Ah Loy / 葉亞來. There is a few more grave by the side that is said to have belongs to it’s family members.
Yap Ah Loy / 葉亞來 born 14 March 1837. also known as Yap Tet Loy. Arrive from China to Malaya in 1854 and to had spend his early years as a miner and a petty trader.
He was appointed as the third and most prominent Kapitan of kuala lumpur after his predecessor, Liu Ngim Kong / Liu Ren Guang / 劉壬光 passes away in 1869. Yap is also a known leader of the local Hai San secret society. Under his administration, Kuala Lumpur grew to become a major town in Malaya. He is also said to be the founder of Kuala Lumpur.
Much of his personal wealth is amass through Tin mining industries and through monopolization of exclusive controlled activities such as gambling, opium and loan sharking.
In 1864, Yap ah Loy builded a chinese temple in honour of Kapitan Shin Kap of Sungei Ujong (Seremban) aka Kapitan Sheng Ming Li. This temple is known as Xian Si Shi Ye Gong / 仙四師爺宮 / Sin Sze Si Ya / Shi Ye Miao / 師爺廟 and it is dedicated to patron deities of Xian Shi Ye / 仙師爺 and Si Shi Ye / 四師爺.
Through dreams, the deities has guided Kapitan Yap Ah Loy to defeat the enemies and defended Kuala lumpur during the civil war that broke out between 1870 to 1873.
On 4 January 1881, the entire town was engulfed in flames. The fire said to have started from an overturned oil lamp in an opium den cost a loss of an estimated $100,000 of which Yap Ah Loy’s shouldered the largest share of it. Yap started a brickworks factory to rebuild the town with bricks and roof tiles instead of wooden ply’s. The brickworks factory is used to be located at what is known today as Brickfields.
After falling ill with bronchitis and an abscess of the left lung, Kapitan Yap ah Loy passes away on 15 April 1885. The doctor whom examined Yap’s body later confirmed that his death was either due to heart failure or poisoning from the fumes of the charcoal brazier.
Related Post:-
Xian Si Shi Ye Gong-Kuala Lumpur / 仙四師爺宮-吉隆坡.
Kapitan Sheng Ming Li Memorial / 甲必丹盛明利墓園.
Below:- Some new photos taken on 22 May 2011.
My Time – my.72dragon.com – A web blog cataloging chinese temples in malaysia / 記錄馬來西亞廟宇文化.
Dear 72Dragon, hello. My name is Glenn Yap, great great grandson of Yap Ah Loy. My dad James Yap & me have been visiting Yap Ah Loy’s grave for the past few years around May, when several groups, honour him.
I’d like to get in touch with you, please. Thank you.
Hi Glenn, I’ve already send an email to you. kindly check.
Hi, I’m the great great grandson of Yap Ah Loy. I’ would like to pay my respect at his grave. Kindly advice the best time to visit and address.
Thank you.
Jeffrey Yap
Hi,
You could visit the grave anytime of the day. Could you kindly let us know how are you related to Yap Ah Loy? Thanks.
Hi, he is my ancestor.
Jeffrey Yap, Glenn Yap here. There will an Annual Honouring of Yap Ah Loy at his grave at KwangTung cemetery, KL, this April 24 Sunday 10am. You r invited to come. This year is a bit more special: we will go to Chinese Assembly Hall after the brief formal ceremony, for new exhibition & lunch also. U r welcomed!
U can reply me: ge.cimb (at) gmail (dot) com
This annual event is organised by his clansmen, the FuiChiu Association.
My dad, me & some relevant people would love to meet up with u & yr fmly. Pls tell other relatives of Yap Ah Loy – Kuala Lumpur’s early+chief developer – and urge them to come too. My cordial invitation to you Jeffrey.
More info for you later, when i get in-touch with u
Hi,
I am planning to visit Yap Ah Loy’s grave. Do you have the Coordinate? Thanks.
Hi,
Kindly visit the Kwang Tung Sg.Besi cemetery, there will be signage to guide you there.
I am considering writing a book (perhaps even a novel) based on Yap Ah Loy’s life and would like to meet his descendants. Would you be able to put me in touch with any of those who have commented here? Thank you very much.
Hi Glenn and Jeffrey Yap. I have written a book on Serendah a mining town where your late great granedather was here before.
Could you contact me please as I would like to find out more about him. Thanks