A RECENT viral video has drawn attention to the mystery surrounding an unidentified road sign that appears out of thin air.
Many streets in Kuala Lumpur have names strongly steeped in Malaysian history. Nobody should be surprised that many of these streets, such Jalan Hang Jebat, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Maharajalela, and many others, are named after historical figures who lived before us.
Four of these streets are named after the Yap clan, a less frequent Chinese surname, making up a remarkable group of these streets. Jalan Yap Ah Loy, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Jalan Yap Ah Shak, and so on. As reminder, these men earned their positions as Chinese Kapitans of Kuala Lumpur through the years, as all of them made significant contributions to the history of our country.
In today’s story, many Malaysians are unaware that Jalan Naomi Yap, another Yap street, formerly had a road sign. This was more than nine years ago.
According to news platforms, a slip road was made for easier access because the road design had cut off Jalan Tun HS Lee from Jalan Sultan in Chinatown. The Jalan Naomi Yap sign was subsequently constructed, although for a few months no one saw it.
A call to DBKL revealed, however, that neither the road sign nor any evidence of it had ever been recorded, according to media platforms. The MRT construction workers also denied putting it up, and it was claimed that nobody was aware of Naomi Yap’s identity.
Many inquiries followed, including: Who were the Yap clan? Why do they matter so much in our history? Who erected the sign? The most crucial question is: Who is Naomi Yap?
