台山龍溪人。生於道光23 年（1843 年），卒於光緒18 年（1892 年）11 月2 日，享年50 歲。童年曾受過私塾教育，17 歲隨兄南來，先在檳城作佣工，後到太平做礦工，19 歲到雪蘭莪，後在巴生找到一塊蘊藏豐富錫苗的礦地，便召募同鄉故舊一同經營。1866 年雪蘭莪發生內戰，他的礦場就在戰火中被摧毀。在這時候，他認識了葉亞來，並協助葉氏戡平雪州叛亂。他和葉氏後來更發展結為親家。內戰結束，他的事業可謂一帆風順，是雪州境內最大礦主之一。

1883 年開始，雪州政府積極發展交通事業，由巴生建設鐵路到吉隆坡，一度因缺乏勞動力而進行得很慢，他在錫價高漲時，竟然從礦場中抽調三百礦工協助提早完成這段鐵路。

1887 年他和王春臨等人倡議建立廣肇會館，他慨捐一段地作會址，並墊出九千餘元作建館費用。

1888 年，英籍種植家永寧（A.R. Venning ）開辟成為今日的湖濱公園時，他贈了好幾牛車的樹秧，以助美化。

1889 年甲必丹葉致英逝世，他是承缺人選之一，後因當時吉隆坡客人多而委任赤溪人葉觀盛為甲必丹，而另委他為雪蘭莪華長。1890 年受委出任吉隆坡衛生局委員（Sanitary Board Member ）。他也受前清誥封為中憲大夫，晉封資政大夫。他發跡後，在安邦路建一座花園大別墅（今馬化大廈地點）。在蘇丹皇官未建成之前（1893 年才建好），他的別墅常為州政府借來招待貴賓。

ZHAO YU 趙煜

Originated from China, Taishan, Long Xi. Born in 1843 and died in 1892 at the age of 50 years.

He received private education at an early age and when he was 17, he moved to Malaya. He first arrived in Penang and worked for a brief period. Later he went to Taiping and worked in a tin mine.

He moved to Selangor at the age of 19 and discovered a plot of land rich in tin ore. He immediately gathered his village clansmen and together started the tin mine business.

However in 1866, there was a civil riot in the state of Selangor and his entire tin mining operation was completely destroyed. At around this time he came to know Mr Yap Ah Loy and assisted him to settle the riots problems. Later both Zhao Yu and Mr Yap Ah Loy became close relatives. When the rioting ended, his business grew by leaps and bounds. He became one of the largest tin miner in Selangor.

In 1883 Selangor government became very determined to expand the transportation sector. A railway line was built starting from Klang town to Kuala Lumpur. There was a shortage of laborers for the construction of the railway line at that time. Zhao Yu, however dispatched 300 workers from his busy tin mine to help complete the railway line even though his own tin mine was doing well and he was short of workers.

In 1887 Zhao Yu and Mr Wong Chun Lum decided to form the Selangor Kwong Siew association. He donated generously a piece of land to use as the association premises. He loaned out an amount of RM 9,000.00 plus to the association for operating expenses.

In 1888 a British planter by the name of Mr A R Venning opened up a big piece of land which later became known as “The Lake Gardens” in Kuala Lumpur or in Bahasa Malaysia called “Tasik Perdana” On this project, Zhao Yu donated a few bullock carts of plants which helped to beautify the area.

In 1889 Kapitan Yap Zhi Ying passed away. Zhao Yu was one of the eligible successors to the Kapitan position but because Kuala Lumpur residents were mainly Hakka people, they wanted a Hakka to take over the post of Kapitan and Mr Yap Kwan Seng was a Chiqi Hakka. So Mr Yap Kwan Seng was appointed the post of Kapitan and Zhao Yu was appointed the head of Chinese affairs in Selangor.

In 1890 he was appointed as a Sanitary Board Member. After he became wealthy he built a huge bungalow along Ampang road where today’s MCA headquarters is located. Prior to the completion of the King’s palace in 1893, Zhao Yu’s bungalow was often used to entertain VIP guests.