Ma Sik-yu

Ma Xi'ru, born in Hong Kong, is one of the founders of the Oriental Daily. The Oriental Daily was established on January 22, 1969, and is part of the Oriental Press Group. It is one of the leading traditional Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong in terms of circulation. According to its self-introduction, the Oriental Daily has ranked first in sales across Hong Kong for 29 consecutive years.

During the 1950s to the 1970s, Hong Kong society was plagued by instability, widespread corruption, powerful triad gangs, and social chaos. At that time, three major Chaozhou gangs held significant influence: the "White Powder Horse" Ma Xiru, his brother Ma Xizhen (nicknamed "Golden Horse"), and Wu Xihou (nicknamed "Lame Brother"). The Ma family families, including Ma Xiru and Ma Xizhen, held considerable power within the gangs and were among Hong Kong’s four major triad families.

Ma Xizhen was responsible for drug trafficking and money laundering activities in Hong Kong. He accumulated wealth by investing and establishing trading companies. In 1969, he founded the Oriental Press Group, with its main newspaper being the pro-Taiwanist Oriental Daily. Besides serving as a channel for money laundering, the newspaper was also accused of being used for transmitting drug-related messages.

In 1973, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established in Hong Kong to combat corruption. Many officials and gang leaders, including members of the Ma family, were arrested. In 1978, the Ma family was implicated in drug trafficking crimes. Hong Kong police, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Interpol, and the CIA, successfully arrested Ma Xiru and Ma Xizhen on charges of operating Hong Kong’s largest drug trafficking syndicate in history. A few days before the case was uncovered, Ma Xiru fled from Hong Kong to Taiwan, where he subsequently cohabited with his mistress on Ren'ai Road in Taipei.

Since then, Ma Xiru has been wanted in Taiwan, and the arrest warrant remains in effect. His family members and successors continued to develop legal industries in Taiwan and overseas, including real estate investments in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is reported that Oriental Daily is only part of the Ma family’s assets, which are enormous, and some believe these assets are merely the "tip of the iceberg" concerning their family's criminal activities.

Ma Xiru died in 1998. His brother Ma Xizhen and adopted son Ma Huanran were subsequently released on bail after fleeing and settled in Taiwan. The family used money laundering proceeds to establish several legitimate businesses with operations worldwide.

The story of the Ma brothers has been adapted into films such as **"Hong Kong Underground Commander"** (also known as **"The Four Families: The Dragon and the Tiger Brothers"**) and TV dramas like **"People in the River and Lake**,** depicting their rise from humble origins.