Oleh Alyani Azhar
Foto Abd Raai Osman

BANGI, 1 August 2017- Yap Ah Loy is not the founder of Kuala Lumpur, said Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

“The founder of Kuala Lumpur was Sutan Puasa, from Mandailin.

“Yap Ah Loy, however, was involved in developing Kuala Lumpur after the Chinese Village fire incident in 1880,” he explained during Wacana Cendekiawan titled ‘Apakah Kuala Lumpur dibuka oleh Yap Ah Loy’

He said that Yap Ah Loy was the person responsible in the rebuilding of the Chinese village.

“During the 1880s, the Mandailin tribe was responsible in bringing the Chinese clan from Sg Ujung to Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Institute of Malay World and Civilization (ATMA) Director, Prof. Dr. Supyan Hussein said that the forum has concluded that Yap Ah Loy is not the founder of Kuala Lumpur, but was instead merely involved in its development.

Also at the forum was Malaysian Heritage Trust Chairperson, Dato’ Ar Hajeedar Abdul Majid.