Singapore Chinese Research Articles

Gender and physical frailty modify the association between abdominal obesity and functional disability in older adults.

Abdominal obesity is associated with functional disability in older adults. We evaluated whether this association was modified by gender and/or physical frailty. We used cross-sectional data from 12,583 participants in the third follow-up of the population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study, when participants had mean age of 74years (range 63-97). Abdominal obesity was defined using waist circumference, physical frailty was established using the modified Cardiovascular Health Study phenotype, and functional disability was determined by the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. We used logistic regression models to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between abdominal obesity and disability. Abdominal obesity was associated with increased likelihood of functional disability, and this association was stronger in women than in men [OR (95% CI): 1.27 (1.11-1.46) vs. 1.08 (0.93-1.25); P for interaction < 0.001]. Furthermore, there was a significantly stronger association between abdominal obesity and functional disability in participants who were physically frail compared to those who were not [OR (95% CI): 1.57 (1.19-2.08) vs. 1.11 (0.99-1.23); P for interaction = 0.003], and this phenomenon was observed in both genders. When compared to participants who were neither abdominally obese nor physically frail, participants who were both abdominally obese and physically frail had a synergistically increased risk of functional disability [OR (95% CI): 3.61 (3.03-4.30)]. Women with abdominal obesity had higher risk of functional disability compared to men, and older adults who were both abdominally obese and physically frail had a synergistically increased risk of disability.

Abstract 3666: Dietary potassium and risk of colorectal cancer: Findings from the Singapore Chinese Cohort Study

Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a commonly diagnosed subtype of cancer with a high mortality rate. Potassium is a necessary trace element in the human boy and is derived mainly from diet. Prior studies found high intakes of potassium was inversely associated with colorectal cancer occurrence in Western population. No such effort has been made in Asian population. Methods: We examined the associations for dietary potassium with the risk of CRC in the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS), a population-based prospective cohort study that includes 61,321 Chinese men and women in Singapore who were 45-74 years of age at baseline. Daily intake of potassium was derived from the self-reported intake of pre-defined food items using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline according to the Singapore Food Composition Table. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CRC associated with higher quartile of potassium compared with the lowest quartile with adjustment for potential confounders. Results: After an average of 17.5 years of follow-up, 2,140 participants developed CRC. Dietary potassium was inversely associated with CRC risk. The multivariable-adjusted HR of CRC for the highest relative to the lowest quarter of daily potassium intake was 0.85 (95% CI 0.75-0.96, Ptrend=0.03). The inverse association between high intake of potassium and CRC risk was more apparent among participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 23 kg/m2 (HRQ4vsQ1=0.75, 95% CI: 0.63-0.89; Ptrend=0.003) and those with history of type 2 diabetes (HRQ4vsQ1=0.65, 95% CI: 0.42-1.00; Ptrend=0.36). Conclusions: In a large population-based prospective cohort study of more than 61,000 Chinese Singaporeans, we found inverse associations between dietary potassium intake and CRC risk. Future studies are warranted to elucidate the biological mechanism for the protective effect of potassium on the development of CRC. Citation Format: Hung N. Luu, Pedram Paragomi, Yi-Chuan Yu, Aizhen Jin, Renwei Wang, Robert E. Schoen, Woon-Puay Koh, Jian-Min Yuan. Dietary potassium and risk of colorectal cancer: Findings from the Singapore Chinese Cohort Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3666.

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of asthma exacerbations.

Asthma exacerbations are a serious public health concern due to high healthcare resource utilization, work/school productivity loss, impact on quality of life, and risk of mortality. The genetic basis of asthma exacerbations has been studied in several populations, but no prior study has performed a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (meta-GWAS) for this trait. We aimed to identify common genetic loci associated with asthma exacerbations across diverse populations and to assess their functional role in regulating DNA methylation and gene expression. A meta-GWAS of asthma exacerbations in 4989 Europeans, 2181 Hispanics/Latinos, 1250 Singaporean Chinese, and 972 African Americans analyzed 9.6million genetic variants. Suggestively associated variants (p≤5×10-5 ) were assessed for replication in 36,477 European and 1078 non-European asthma patients. Functional effects on DNA methylation were assessed in 595 Hispanic/Latino and African American asthma patients and in publicly available databases. The effect on gene expression was evaluated in silico. One hundred and twenty-six independent variants were suggestively associated with asthma exacerbations in the discovery phase. Two variants independently replicated: rs12091010located atvascular cell adhesion molecule-1/exostosin likeglycosyltransferase-2 (VCAM1/EXTL2)(discovery: odds ratio (ORT allele )=0.82, p=9.05×10-6 and replication: ORT allele =0.89, p=5.35×10-3 ) and rs943126 frompantothenate kinase1 (PANK1) (discovery: ORC allele =0.85, p=3.10×10-5 and replication: ORC allele =0.89, p=1.30×10-2 ). Both variants regulate gene expressionof genes where they locate and DNA methylation levels of nearby genes in whole blood. This multi-ancestry study revealed novel suggestive regulatory loci for asthma exacerbations located in genomic regions participating in inflammation and host defense.

Identity construction on shop signs in Singapore’s Chinatown: a study of linguistic choices by Chinese Singaporeans and New Chinese immigrants

ABSTRACT Chinatowns, as neighborhoods for overseas ethnic Chinese, have garnered considerable scholarly attention from linguistic landscape (LL) researchers in recent years. These investigations tend to treat old immigrants who have been tied to the neighborhoods for generations as the key text producers of LL, with far too little attention paid to the LL practices of new Chinese immigrants in Chinatowns, who are often associated with transnationalism and the rise of China. Focusing on Singapore’s Chinatown, the present study attempts to explore Chinese Singaporean and new Chinese immigrants’ linguistic choices concerning the Chinese-language signs displayed in the LL. Drawing on 326 instances of signs collected during site visits, the study found that Chinese Singaporeans and new Chinese immigrants make different linguistic choices when projecting their respective authenticities and identities. These findings suggest that there is indeed a linguistic basis for previously expressed arguments that Chinese Singaporean authenticity is threatened by new Chinese immigrants, shedding light on the need to examine the heterogeneity of Chinatown from the perspective of LL. This study enriches the scholarly understanding of LL practices within Chinese diasporic settlements in the East.

Endometrial cancer risk factors in Singapore Chinese: a prospective cohort study

PurposeThe incidence of Endometrial cancer (EC) has grown substantially in Asia over the past decade. However, few studies have addressed risk factors associated with EC incidence in Asian populations. We explored the association between reproductive and dietary risk factors and EC in the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS), one of the largest prospective cohort studies in Asia. MethodsData were collected from 34,028 ethnically Chinese women aged 45–74 residing in Singapore, enrolled between 1993 and 1998. Baseline demographic, dietary, and reproductive factors were collected via structured questionnaires. EC cases were identified from the Singapore Cancer Registry (n = 126) up to 2010. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze association between EC and personal, reproductive, and dietary factors. ResultsThe incidence of EC in this population was 28.8 per 100,000 person-years. Regardless of menopausal status, obesity (BMI ≥ 27) was associated with increased EC risk (HR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.26–3.92), while later age at menarche was associated with decreased EC risk (HR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.04–0.46). In postmenopausal women, later age at menopause was associated with increased EC risk (HR = 2.82, 95% CI 1.24–6.43). Lifestyle and nutritional factors were not associated with risk of EC in this cohort. ConclusionsThis study is one of the largest cohort studies exploring EC risk factors in Asian populations. Our study identified similarities in EC risk factors for European and Asian populations, which potentially suggests that strategies developed for EC prevention in Western populations can be potentially appropriate for the Singapore Chinese population due to risk factor similarities.

Contested Spaces: Entanglement of Chinese Migration, Gender Discrimination, and Colonial Resistance in Olivia Ho’s “Working Woman”

Southeast Asian colonial experiences are of immense significance yet under-exposed. It entails an irony as Southeast Asia as a geographical entity is one of the most colonized regions in the history of humankind. This paper serves to provide an elaboration of the Chinese Singaporean colonial experiences during the British occupation in Singapore in a steampunk short story entitled “Working Woman” by Olivia Ho. This short story is compiled in an anthology of Southeast Asian steampunk short stories named The Sea is Ours: Tales from Steampunk Southeast Asia edited by Jaymee Goh and Joyce Chng. Postcolonial feminism approach is utilized as the critical framework in the analysis of the story. The analysis finds that there are three contesting themes in the narrative namely 1) the reception of forced migration of the Chinese that result in their permanent residence in Singapore, 2) double colonization undergone by the Chinese female characters, and 3) the resistance toward British colonial power and patriarchal subjugation in the Singaporean Chinese society. The three themes intermingle as a linear course of history rather than an independent sub-historical phenomenon within the fiction. Thus, the reception of Chinese migration in the fiction is made possible by the arrival of British colonialism in Singapore and as a result, discrimination and resistance of Chinese women become the implication of the contact of colonialism and migration.

Angle closure extent, anterior segment dimensions and intraocular pressure

AimTo investigate the association between the extent of iridotrabecular contact and other quantitative anterior segment dimensions measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT; CASIA SS-1000, Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) with intraocular...

Patient experiences in an art-making cancer support group: A qualitative study

Background This hospital-based art-making support group for female adult cancer patients was set up in 2009. Participants meet weekly for art and craft activities, which are facilitated by a psychiatrist. The group is open-ended and participation is voluntary. There are currently around 150 participants in total. Objectives This qualitative study explores patient experiences in a hospital-based art-making support group. Methods 15 semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. The participants were all female, predominantly Chinese Singaporean, and had been diagnosed with either breast cancer or a gynaecological cancer. A constructivist phenomenological research paradigm was adopted. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify, analyse and report patterns in the data. Results Three overarching themes and corresponding subthemes were identified: Benefits and challenges of journeying through cancer as a group (supporting one another, maturing relationships, interpersonal conflict, death and illness in the group), increased personal well-being (increased emotional well-being, personal growth and reduced social isolation) and going beyond group-based art-making (value of non-art-making activities, artistic development beyond the group). Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that art-making support groups may enhance the emotional, psychological and social well-being of patients with cancer. The group experience has provided participants with emotional, informational and experiential support, though participants cited the need to accept interpersonal conflict and grief over fellow participants’ illness and death. Potential areas for future study include the impact of interpersonal dynamics on cancer support groups, the impact of cultural factors on participants’ interactions and the skills required of group facilitators to manage conflict, grief and anxiety amongst participants.

Bioequivalence of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from foods enriched with a novel vegetable-based omega-3 delivery system compared to gel capsules: a randomized controlled cross-over acute trial

PurposeTo evaluate bioavailability of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) from foods enriched with novel vegetable-based encapsulated algal oil across Australian and Singaporean populations.Methods27 men (n = 12 Australian European; n = 15 Singaporean Chinese), 21–50 yr; 18–27.5 kg/m2, with low habitual intake of omega-3 LCPUFA completed a multicentre randomised controlled acute 3-way cross-over single-blind trial. They consumed, in random order 1-week apart after an overnight fast, standard breakfast meals including 400 mg docosahexanoic acid (DHA) from either extruded rice snacks or soup both containing cauliflower-encapsulated HiDHA® algal oil or gel capsules containing HiDHA® algal oil. Blood samples for analysis of plasma DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were taken pre-meal and after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h. Primary analyses comparing 24-h incremental area under the plasma DHA, EPA and DHA + EPA concentration (µg/ml) curves (iAUC0-24 h) between test foods were performed using linear mixed models by including ethnicity as an interaction term.ResultsPlasma iAUC0-24 h did not differ significantly between test foods (adjusted mean [95% CI] plasma DHA + EPA: extruded rice snack, 8391 [5550, 11233] µg/mL*hour; soup, 8862 [6021, 11704] µg/mL*hour; capsules, 11,068 [8226, 13910] µg/mL*hour, P = 0.31) and did not differ significantly between Australian European and Singaporean Chinese (treatment*ethnicity interaction, P = 0.43).ConclusionThe vegetable-based omega-3 LCPUFA delivery system did not affect bioavailability of omega-3 LCPUFA in healthy young Australian and Singaporean men as assessed after a single meal over 24 h, nor was bioavailability affected by ethnicity. This novel delivery system may be an effective way to fortify foods/beverages with omega-3 LCPUFA.Trial registrationThe trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04610983), date of registration, 22 November 2020.

Diabetes and other vascular risk factors in association with the risk of lower extremity amputation in chronic limb-threatening ischemia: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundPatients with diabetes are at increased risk of developing chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) due to peripheral arterial disease, and this often results in lower extremity amputation (LEA). Little is known of the interaction between diabetes and other vascular risk factors in affecting the risk of CLTI.MethodsWe investigated the association of diabetes, and its interaction with hypertension, body mass index (BMI) and smoking, with the risk of LEA due to CLTI in the population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study. Participants were interviewed at recruitment (1993–1998) and 656 incident LEA cases were identified via linkage with nationwide hospital database through 2017. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for the associations.ResultsThe HR (95% CI) for LEA risk was 13.41 (11.38–15.79) in participants with diabetes compared to their counterparts without diabetes, and the risk increased in a stepwise manner with duration of diabetes (P for trend < 0.0001). Hypertension and increased BMI independently increased LEA risk in those without diabetes but did not increase the risk in those with diabetes (P for interaction with diabetes ≤ 0.0006). Conversely, current smoking conferred a risk increment of about 40% regardless of diabetes status.ConclusionsAlthough diabetes conferred more than tenfold increase in risk of LEA, hypertension and increased BMI did not further increase LEA risk among those with diabetes, suggesting a common mechanistic pathway for these risk factors. In contrast, smoking may act via an alternative pathway and thus confer additional risk regardless of diabetes status.

Emergency Department Admissions Among Older Adults Living Alone With Multimorbidity

Older adults living alone are at higher risk of mortality, morbidity and healthcare utilization. As more older adults live alone, Emergency Department (ED) admissions could rapidly increase, particularly among those with multimorbidity. We studied the association of living alone on ED admissions among older adults with multimorbidity. We used data from 16,785 older adults of the population-based Singapore Chinese Health Study (mean age: 73 years, range: 61-96 years) who were interviewed in 2014-2016 for living arrangements and medical history. Participants were followed-up for one year on ED admission outcomes (number of admissions, inpatient days and hospitalization costs). We used multivariable logistic regression to study the association between living alone and ED admission, and ran two-part models (probit & generalised linear model) to estimate the association of living alone on inpatient days and hospitalization cost. We found that compared to living with others, living alone was associated with a higher odds of ED admissions [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.28, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.08-1.51)], longer inpatient days (+0.61, 95% CI 0.25-0.97) and higher hospitalization costs (+322 USD, 95% CI 54-591). Compared to those living with others without multimorbidity, living alone with multimorbidity was associated with higher odds of ED admission (OR 1.64 95% CI 1.33-2.03), longer inpatient days (+0.73, 95% CI 0.29-1.17) and higher hospitalization costs (+567 USD, 95% CI 230-906). In conclusion, living alone is associated with higher odds of ED admission, longer inpatient days and higher hospitalization costs among older adults, particularly among those with multimorbidity.

The divisiveness of Chinese identities in Singapore

In July 2019, the Jamestown Foundation, an American think tank, published a report accusing China of imposing a Chinese identity onto Singapore through propaganda and influence operations. In this article, I argue that the Jamestown report is factually inaccurate and is itself an influence operation aimed at engendering distrust towards China. The re-discovery of a Chinese cultural identity by some Chinese Singaporeans—from Lee Kuan Yew to Nathan Hartono—is fuelled not by China’s clandestine influence operations, but by an intrinsic desire to mend ruptures in one's cultural heritage. Historically, the Chinese in Singapore have discarded or re-adopted their Chinese cultural identities depending on the degree to which contact is kept with China. When contact with China diminishes, successive generations of Singapore Chinese inevitably cease to identify China as a cultural motherland. When contact with China resumes, the Chinese in Singapore have frequently become divided, split into those who culturally identify as Chinese and those who do not. Since the 1978 reform and opening-up of China, the restoration of contact between China and Singapore have led to a rekindling of interest amongst Chinese Singaporeans in their cultural identities. This rekindling yields three major consequences. Firstly, Chinese Singaporeans may become further divided in terms of their cultural identity, with de-Sinicised, monolingual English speakers on one extreme and re-Sinicised, cultural Chinese on the other. Secondly, successive generations of re-Sinicised Singaporeans may grow up imbibing China’s cultural exports, thereby becoming less distinct from their mainland Chinese counterparts. Thirdly, Singapore’s government will remain incentivised to continually emphasise the distinctness of the Chinese Singaporean identity from Chinese elsewhere.

Emergency hospital admissions among older adults living alone in the community

BackgroundAmong older adults, living alone is often associated with higher risk of Emergency Department (ED) admissions. However, older adults living alone are very heterogeneous in terms of health. As more older adults choose to live independently, it remains unclear if the association between living alone and ED admissions is moderated by health status. We studied the association between living alone and ED admission outcomes (number of admissions, inpatient days and inpatient costs) among older adults with and without multimorbidity.MethodsWe used data from 16,785 individuals of the third follow-up of the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of older Singapore Chinese (mean age: 73(61-96) years). Participants were interviewed face-to-face from 2014 to 2016 for sociodemographic/health factors and followed-up for one year on ED admission outcomes using Singapore Ministry of Health’s Mediclaim Database. We first applied multivariable logistic regression and two-part models to test if living alone is a risk factor for ED admission outcomes. We then ran stratified and joint effect analysis to examine if the associations between living alone and ED admission outcomes were moderated by multimorbidity.ResultsCompared to living with others, living alone was associated with higher odds of ED admission [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.28, 95 % Confidence Interval(CI) 1.08-1.51)], longer inpatient days (+0.61, 95 %CI 0.25-0.97) and higher inpatient costs (+322 USD, 95 %CI 54-591). The interaction effects of living arrangement and multimorbidity on ED admissions and inpatient costs were not statistically different, whereas the interaction between living arrangements and multimorbidity on inpatient days was borderline significant (p-value for interaction=0.050). Compared to those living with others and without multimorbidity, the relative mean increase was 1.13 inpatient days (95 %CI 0.39-1.86) for those living alone without multimorbidity, and 0.73 inpatient days ( 95 %CI 0.29-1.17) for those living alone with multimorbidity.ConclusionsOlder adults living alone were at higher risk of ED admission and higher inpatient costs regardless of multimorbidity, while those living alone without multimorbidity had the longest average inpatient days. To enable aging in place while avoiding ED admissions, interventions could provide instrumental support and regular health monitoring to older adults living alone, regardless of their health status.

Product attributes affecting the substitutability of saiga horn drinks among young adult consumers in Singapore

AbstractGlobally, illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade can drive biodiversity loss. Understanding which product attributes consumers consider when deciding between products of threatened species or alternatives, is key for conservation interventions. Labeled Discrete Choice Experiments (DCEs) are underutilized in wildlife trade literature but can aid this understanding. In labeled DCEs, the alternatives presented to respondents have specific names (e.g., paracetamol) as opposed to being generic bundles (e.g., option A). We used a labeled DCE to assess young adult preferences toward “cooling water” used to treat fever and heatiness (a traditional Chinese medicine state of illness) in Singapore. One popular cooling water contains saiga horn, made from Critically EndangeredSaiga tataricaantelope. Data from 639 university‐enrolled respondents were analyzed using latent class models. Middle‐ to high‐income Chinese Singaporeans were the respondents most likely to choose saiga horn. Overall, however, respondents significantly preferred lower price products sold in nearby outlets—suggesting that for young adults in Singapore, saiga horn cooling water may be substitutable if its physical and financial availability is reduced.

Generalisability and performance of an OCT-based deep learning classifier for community-based and hospital-based detection of gonioscopic angle closure

PurposeTo assess the generalisability and performance of a deep learning classifier for automated detection of gonioscopic angle closure in anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images.MethodsA convolutional neural network (CNN)...

Peripheral Hearing Loss and Its Association with Cognition among Ethnic Chinese Older Adults

Introduction: Many studies on hearing loss (HL) and cognition are limited by subjective hearing assessments and verbally administered cognition tests, the majority of the document findings in Western populations. This study aimed to assess the association of HL with cognitive impairment among ethnic Chinese Singaporean older adults using visually presented cognitive tests. Methods: The hearing of community-dwelling older adults was assessed using pure tone audiometry. Cognitive function was assessed using the Computerized Cambridge Cognitive Test Battery (CANTAB). Multiple regression analyses examined the association between hearing and cognitive function, adjusted for age, education, and gender. Results: HL (pure-tone average [PTA] of thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz in the better ear, BE4PTA) was associated with reduced performance in delayed matching and multitasking tasks (β = −0.25, p = 0.019, and β = 0.02, p = 0.023, respectively). Moderate to severe HL was associated with reduced performance in delayed matching and verbal recall memory tasks (β = −10.6, p = 0.019, and β = −0.28, p = 0.042). High-frequency HL was associated with reduced performance in the spatial working memory task (β = 0.004, p = 0.022). All-frequency HL was associated with reduced performance in spatial working memory and multitasking (β = 0.01, p = 0.040, and β = 0.02, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Similar to Western populations, HL among tonal language-speaking ethnic Chinese was associated with worse performance in tasks requiring working memory and executive function.

Accents, group identity, and trust behaviors: Evidence from Singapore

We study discrimination on the basis of national origin in Singapore by exploring how the group identity discernible in a speaker's accent affects trust. In the trust game, Singaporean Chinese (SGC) senders were asked to listen to audio clips in which responders with either an SGC or a Mainland Chinese (MLC) accent read a two-sentence script before the senders decided how much money to send. We also used the strategy method to elicit the senders' beliefs about the trustworthiness of responders with an MLC accent versus those with an SGC accent. Contrary to our expectations and the common perception in Singapore, we found that Singaporean senders tended to place more trust in responders with an MLC accent than in responders with an SGC accent. We explain this difference on the basis of the Singaporean senders' beliefs about trustworthiness: they believed that people with an MLC accent would return more money to senders than would the in-group Singaporean counterparts. To bolster our findings, we confirmed in a separate experiment that the difference in response to the accents was not due to the speech rate or vocal pitch.

Indonesian and Malaysian Press Policy: Pre and Post-Independence

Indonesia and Malaysia are the two countries that come from a family of the Malay Archipelago. These two countries were born after a different colonial occupation namely the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. However, each country has a different press system and policy. This study aims to look at the main objectives of Indonesian and Malaysian press policy trough critical reviews of secondary data obtained from library research based on categories in two stages of newspaper development in pre and post-independence. This study found that, in Indonesia, in the pre-independence era, the main objectives of Indonesian press policy were to control security and public order, and abuse of the press, during the Japanese occupation as Preventive censorship, and Propaganda. In the Post-Independence, the main objectives policy of the press namely as Freedom of Press, support 'political manifesto' and Implementing the "Pancasila Press System". Meanwhile, In Malaysia, in the pre-independence era, the main objective of the policy press was as controlling the press as a medium of internal racial conflict among the Chinese in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur due to differences of support for the Chinese monarchy since 1911, and propaganda machinery. In Post-Independence, the main objective of the press is to control and maintain the political stability of the country and prevent racial riots due to political and economic crisis. This study concludes that the main objectives of the Indonesian and Malaysian Press Policy are made in accordance with the direction of the system and political policies of the ruling regime.

Energy Content and Nutrient Profiles of Frequently Consumed Meals in Singapore.

Singapore is a multi-ethnic country with a great variety of traditional ethnic cuisines. In this modern society where there is an increasing prevalence of obesity, it is important to know the nutritional content and energy density of our foods. However, there have been little data on the nutritional content of our local foods. The energy density and nutrient content of 45 commonly consumed meals by three ethnic groups in Singapore (Chinese, Malay, and Indian) were assessed in this study. Chinese, Malay, and Indian cuisines had an average energy density of 661, 652, and 723 kJ/100 g, respectively. Moreover, the macronutrient content is different between the different ethnic groups. Compared to Chinese and Malay cuisines, Indian cuisine contained lower protein but higher fat and carbohydrate content (p = 0.03). From the mineral analysis of the ethnic foods, we found out that Chinese cuisines contain significantly higher sodium (average of 238 mg/100 g) than Malay cuisines (p = 0.006) and Indian cuisines (p = 0.03). Knowing the caloric density and nutrition content of local ethnic foods may aid hawkers and government officials in developing healthier options to tackle Singapore’s obesity epidemic.

“A Tolerant Society Is the Way Forward”: Exposing Chinese Chauvinism in Singapore, 1959–1979

Abstract Official narratives in Singapore have included the crackdown by the ruling People’s Action Party (pap) government under Lee Kuan Yew against the Chinese chauvinists on the city-state’s road to nationhood. From 1959 to 1976, the Lee government believed that Chinese chauvinism came from three sources: a population that was majority ethnic Chinese in Singapore, pro-communist organizations that exploited Chinese chauvinism for their own ends, and individuals or organizations that praised the People’s Republic of China at the expense of Singapore. Using newspaper articles, speeches by government ministers, oral history interviews, and declassified government records held in Singapore and overseas, this article assesses the threat of Chinese chauvinism in Singapore between the years 1959 and 1976. It argues that the Lee government made statements about Chinese chauvinists that were grounded either on truism, or on excoriating individuals, for its own political gain.