SINCE the Malaysian Men’s Health Initiative (MMHI) published its latest book, Managing Men’s Health: Improving Men’s Health Through Research, there has been a lot of interest in MMHI’s research on men’s health in Malaysia.

In the previous article for this column, we highlighted some of the findings regarding erectile dysfunction among men in Malaysia.

This week’s article will touch on testosterone deficiency syndrome and some of MMHI’s research findings on this important area of men’s health.

For decades, female menopause got all the attention, and few people talked about the effects, if any, of hormonal changes in ageing men.

However, the concept of “male menopause” is not actually new, as testosterone deficiency was first reported in scientific literature as early as 100 years ago.

There is increasingly more debate and discussion about testosterone deficiency and more research is being carried out on this condition to study how men are profoundly affected by it, and how it can be treated, in order to avert serious complications.

The most common medical terminologies to describe testosterone deficiency are symptomatic late-onset hypogonadism (SLOH, or sometimes, just late-onset hypogonadism, LOH), and Androgen Decline in the Aging Male (ADAM). Currently, the medically accepted term is testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS).

TDS is characterised by total testosterone levels below 11 nmol/L, as well as symptoms like low sexual desire, lethargy and lack of energy, negative mood changes and irritability, memory loss, and lack of concentration.

This condition of low testosterone is called a “syndrome” because it consists of a group of symptoms or characteristics that usually exist together.

Research on TDS has been relatively recent, carried out mostly in the last 15 years. Most of this research has been done among the Caucasian population. Therefore, little is known about the prevalence and impact of TDS among men in Asia and Malaysia.

MMHI’s research on TDS looked at the prevalence of the condition and its associated co-morbidities, as well as the quality of life among men with TDS.

Two of MMHI’s key studies looked at the prevalence of TDS among an urban population: the 2006 Subang Men’s Health Study and the 2003 Klang Valley Men’s Health Community Study.

In the Subang study, 1,046 men above the age of 40 had their blood tested for glucose, lipid and testosterone levels. MMHI found that 19.1% of the men had total testosterone below 11 nmol/L, which is considered to be low. This prevalence is in line with regional findings of 10-40% among Asian men.

Meanwhile, the Klang Valley study found that the Aging Males Symptoms (AMS) scale correlated with the testosterone levels of 351 men. This shows that the AMS scale may be used to screen for testosterone deficiency and identify men who are at risk, or need further follow-up.

The idea that men, like women, also suffer hormonal changes, especially in the later stage of their lives, is not one that is easily accepted.

For one, it is not easy to identify TDS, because the symptoms can be vague and easily mistaken for other conditions. Men also find it hard to admit that they are vulnerable to hormone changes, as it challenges their notion of masculinity.

Even less is known about how men cope with TDS, and how it affects their lives. That is why MMHI looked at the quality of life of men with TDS in the 2003 Klang Valley study. Not only were men with TDS found to have poor physical, mental and emotional role functioning, many also suffered from some form of depression.

Another interesting study by the MMHI was the Nebido® study, which compared the quality of life between men who received testosterone replacement therapy, and men who were given placebo. You can read about the interesting results in Managing Men’s Health: Improving Men’s Health Through Research.

TDS is not a benign condition to be taken lightly. What is most worrying about testosterone deficiency is that it is closely correlated with other serious medical conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

MMHI’s epidemiological studies in Malaysia confirmed the association between TDS and many conditions that significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These findings are especially important for men and doctors to be aware of, as it suggests that men with low testosterone are at risk of other, life-threatening diseases.

With better scientific understanding of the effects of TDS in the ageing male, interest in diagnosing and treating TDS is gaining enthusiasm.

In the next 50 years, Malaysia is expected to follow the trend of other Asian countries, where the population of those above 65 years is expected to increase four-fold.

Recognising the extent of TDS in Malaysia will have a significant impact on preparing the country for the ageing boom. Our ageing male population will need to be healthy, fit and well in order to remain in the workforce into their 70s, so that they can contribute towards sustaining the country’s economic growth.

More information about local research findings on TDS is available in the book, which is now available from the MMHI.

Apart from TDS, the book also covers three other main themes in men’s health, which are erectile dysfunction, prostate diseases and psychosocial issues among men.

The book draws attention to these key issues, because they urgently require attention among healthcare practitioners, policy makers and those involved in research.

Look out for the next article in this series, which will touch on prostate diseases and lower urinary tract symptoms.

ON average, we spend more than three hours a day staring at the computer screen or some other electronic gadget. I, myself, am guilty of this especially since I bought the latest MacBook Air I am writing this article on. You may well be reading this article on your computer or iPad. This has led to the recognition amongst eye care professionals of a new syndrome called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). This is surprisingly common among the working population, but often untreated or mistaken for something else.

CVS is due to the eyes being used to focus on the computer screen for prolonged periods of time. Common symptoms include headaches, red eyes, blurred vision, neck pain, double vision, and dry and irritated eyes.

These symptoms may be aggravated by a smoky environment or air-conditioning vents blowing dry air in the direction of the person.

Most of us blink an average of 18 times per minute. This wipes away debris from the eye surface and keeps the eyes functioning optimally. However, when in front of computer screens, we blink less than six times per minute, which allows for dry, irritated eyes.

Our eyes are naturally developed to focus six metres (20 feet) in front, and if we look at a screen located less than a metre in front of us, we have to use our internal eye muscles to get the screen in focus. This can result in “eye-strain”, which may be very uncomfortable for some people and difficult to resolve.

It is, of course, almost impossible for us to be separated from the computer as we not only need it for our work, but also for social networking.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has recommended some simple steps to reduce CVS symptoms. These include:

·Pasting a note on your screen to remind yourself to blink often.

·Sitting at a comfortable position from the computer and position the screen so that your eye gaze is slightly downward.

·Every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds: the “20-20-20” rule.

·Taking regular breaks from computer work and getting enough sleep.

People with dry eyes are more likely to experience CVS. As such, artificial tear drops can help relieve eye discomfort. There are a huge variety of artificial tear drops available, and it would be best to discuss with an eye care professional the most suitable drop for yourself.

Most patients with dry eye also often have meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) or blepharitis. MGD is very often unrecognised as a cause of eye discomfort.

The meibomian glands are located near our eye lashes and provide some of the lipid secretions that make up part of our tear film. In MGD, the glands are blocked and inflamed. This causes our eyes to feel gritty and sore, especially in the mornings.

A simple measure to treat MGD is to use a warm compress to massage the eyelids for about two minutes twice a day. The heat from the warm compress allows the sticky oily secretions from the glands to melt slightly. This can help relieve the blockage.

After the warm compresses, you can use a wet cotton bud to scrub the eyelashes to remove the oily secretions that have been released from the glands.

I tell my patients to do this whenever they brush their teeth so that they don’t forget. This simple lid hygiene regimen has to be done daily for at least a month before improvement in symptoms can be seen. More severe cases of MGD may require steroid and antibiotic eye drops, and tetracycline antibiotic tablets.

More recently, dietary supplements like omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) have been found to be useful for helping dry eye and MGD. Such essential fatty acids may help enhance the lipid layer of the tear film and prevent premature evaporation of the tears from our eyes.

Omega-3 EFAs also have an anti-inflammatory role in the eye. EFAs are called essential because they can’t be produced in the body. There are two main groups: omega-3 and omega-6.

Omega-6 EFA is found in most vegetable oils like rapeseed, sunflower, peanut and corn, poultry, eggs, cereal, and whole grain breads. Omega-3 EFA, on the other hand, is found in oily fish (example: salmon, sardines, catfish, Indian mackerel, kembong or Spanish mackerel,tenggiri, jelawat, and canned tuna), and oils like flaxseed, rapeseed, and walnut.

Our modern diet has led to us taking an excess of omega-6 EFA, which limits the effectiveness of omega-3 EFA in helping dry eye and MGD. The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 EFA is 1:4, but most people in developed countries are taking a omega-3/omega-6 EFA ratio of up to 1:25!

In other words, we are taking more than 20 times the amount of omega-6 EFA compared with omega-3 EFA. A diet high in processed food and meat, and lacking in omega-3 fish oils causes this imbalanced ratio and can lead to higher incidence of dry eye.

Due to the difficulties at having enough omega-3 EFA in our diet, dietary supplementation of up to 500mg per day of omega-3 EFA is recommended by the American Dietetic Association.

Having said that, females who are pregnant or are breastfeeding should limit their intake of oily fish to two servings a week to avoid overconsumption of potential pollutants that may be found in the fish.

Several studies have found clear benefits of dietary supplements of omega-3 EFA for dry eye. Individuals taking these supplements had a 20% reduction in the likelihood of getting dry eye compared with those with a low intake of omega-3 EFA.

New trials are now testing the use of omega-3 EFA as an eye drop for dry eye. In MGD, omega-3 EFA supplements help clear up and thin meibomian gland secretions which in turn improves dry eye symptoms.

Omega-3 EFAs have also been found to be beneficial for our heart (reduction in myocardial infarction), brain (reduced risk of stroke), and joints (helps reduce joint pain).

In summary, our eyes are not designed to look at the computer screen for hours each day. This can take a toll on our overall health, especially if we have co-existing dry eye and MGD.

The main suggestions that I have to prevent computer vision syndrome is to take regular breaks from your computer work, avoid a dry working environment, lid hygiene for MGD, consider artificial tear supplements, as well as increase omega-3 EFA intake.

Here is a recipe you can try at home – tea smoked salmon.

Salmon is a great source of omega-3. You can substitute with another type of oily fish of your choice. Fish with high oil content are suitable for smoking as they remain moist and absorb more smoky flavour.

Serves four

Preparation & cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

400g (4 pieces) salmon fillet

2 teaspoons (tsp) dark soya sauce

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

Garnish:

1 tsp sesame seeds, black and white

½ lemon

Smoking:

4 tablespoons (tbsp) tea leaves

4 tbsp uncooked rice

4 tbsp sugar

Method:

Marinate fish in dark soya sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and salt, and leave aside.

Heat a dry pan on medium heat. Toast sesame seeds in the pan until they darken and become fragrant. Leave aside.

Line a wok with a piece of foil. Mix the tea leaves, uncooked rice and sugar together on a piece of foil. Heat up the wok with the foil for about a minute, or until it starts to smoke.

Pat dry salmon fillets with a kitchen towel and place the fish (skin-side down) on a rack in the wok. Smoke the fish for five to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish fillets).

Remove the fish from the wok and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with a slice of lemon. 

IN the previous article for this column, I talked about several causes of low libido in women. I feel that it is important to give coverage to this issue, as women still find it difficult to openly confront this problem.

The libido is a fragile, fickle thing, and can so easily be lost due to physical and psychological factors in our lives.

If we do not identify the causes of low libido, we will be constantly wondering why we do not enjoy or desire sex, and may even heap blame on ourselves and damage our relationships.

In this article, I will continue with the list of common sex drive killers in women, and ways to address these.

Beauty and attraction are intertwined with feelings of sexuality and desire. Yet, it is often not our looks or body that is the issue, but our perception of them.

It is hard to feel comfortable with your body, or feel sexy when you have poor body image. Some women think that they are too fat, others think that they are not curvy enough. Some want bigger breasts, others want longer legs.

These characteristics don’t really have anything to do with sexual performance, yet some women obsess about it until they lose their desire to have sex because they feel ashamed to bare their bodies.

This problem has to be first resolved within yourself – nobody can make you feel sexy until you feel good about yourself.

You should also talk to your partner and ask him what he finds desirable about you. You might be surprised to learn that he has no issues with the parts of you that you so dislike! Do not let anyone make you feel bad about yourself.

If you feel that you should lose weight, make sure that you do so healthily and properly. Do not crash diet or starve yourself. Follow a suitable exercise programme – working out will give you an energy boost, tones your body, and increases your sex drive. 

Sex after menopause? Why not? But first, women have to overcome the tendencies of menopause to reduce sexual desire.

The hormonal changes brought on by menopause not only affect libido, but also some of the important sexual functions. As testosterone production drops, the sex drive becomes lower, the clitoris becomes less sensitive, and the body is less able to respond sexually.

The low levels of oestrogen, meanwhile, cause vaginal dryness and makes penetration painful.

While menopausal changes are inevitable, there are ways that you can overcome some of the symptoms. If you have vaginal dryness, your doctor can prescribe topical oestrogen therapy, or you can use a water-based lubricant.

Besides these physical factors, menopausal women should also consider the state of their relationship (have they become too comfortable, entered a boring routine?), their body image, and self esteem (are they shy about their ageing bodies?), as well as their state of health (are they taking other medications or suffering from other conditions that could affect libido?).

Complacency can set in to any relationship. Sex is part of a package that includes intimacy, connection, communication and affection. If sex becomes routine in a relationship – on a fixed day, at a fixed time, with fixed moves – the fun and sizzle will quickly dry out.

For women, in particular, intimacy and affection are very important. Your partner needs to understand that talking, snuggling and touching can do a lot to revive your sex drive.

It’s somewhat ironic that birth control pills not only stop you from getting pregnant, but they also stop you from wanting sex.

Oral contraceptives work by stopping your ovaries from producing hormones, which affects your body’s sexual functions. The Pill also causes your body to produce a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds itself to testosterone and renders it useless.

If you feel that oral contraceptives are interfering with your sex drive, consider using an alternative form of contraception, with your doctor’s advice.

If you have health problems like thyroid disorders, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or autoimmune disorders, you may find yourself losing interest in sex.

This is because these conditions affect your hormone levels, blood flow and nerve signals in the body, all of which play a role in sexual desire.

If these conditions are well-managed and under control, you should find your libido returning to normal. However, be aware that certain medications, such as high blood pressure drugs, can also affect libido, so discuss it with your doctor, if this is a concern.

If you think that one or several of these libido killers relates to you, talk to your doctor about what you can do to change the situation.

Sometimes, you will not even need drastic changes. You’d be surprised at how much good lifestyle changes can do – just exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and taking time out to relax.

If you take care of yourself, your libido will take care of itself too!

I’M so worried! My weight keeps increasing, moans a female executive to her friend.

For women, any increase in weight is a very sensitive issue. And for men, a “spare tire” around the tummy and a chubby body shape can occasionally be a source of jokes among friends.

How important is controlling your weight? Is it just to look good?

The truth is, being overweight not only affects a person’s self-image, but also affects their health, and exposes them to the risk of diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

The question is: is it easy to control your weight?

The truth is, it isn’t that hard to ensure that your weight remains at the ideal level. Follow these tips to ensure that your weight is ideal for your height.

Healthcare professionals use the BMI (Body Mass Index) to measure your ideal body weight. You can calculate your BMI using this formula: BMI = Weight (kg) ÷ [Height (m)]²

The ideal BMI is between 18.5 and 22.9. (See BMI levels)

Firstly, you should know your body’s caloric needs.

Each person’s caloric needs differ according to gender, age and daily activities.

If you are a woman who is not very physically active, and spends most of the day in the office, your daily caloric intake should be around 1,800 kilocalories (kcal). Whereas, on average, an adult male would need around 2,200 kcal.

Secondly, you should practise healthy cooking methods.

While you needn’t limit your methods of cooking or variety of food, the most important thing is that your cooking methods should involve less fat, less salt and less sugar, so that you can enjoy healthy meals. Below are some guidelines for preparing healthy meals:

·Remove the skin from poultry before cooking.

·Remove any visible fat from meats before cooking.

·Avoid refrying fried food.

·Use tissue paper or oil absorbent paper to absorb excess oil on fried foods.

·Use a non-stick pan to decrease the use of oil.

·Ensure that the oil is really hot before frying food, so that less oil is absorbed.

·Use healthier cooking methods like roasting, baking, boiling, braising or using the oven.

·Use diluted santan (coconut milk) or low-fat milk.

·Cool down soups or meat stock, and remove any visible surface fat.

·Remove any visible oily layers from food.

·Use low-fat salad dressings.

·Reduce the use of sugar while cooking.

·Avoid adding sugar while preparing food. Instead, sweeten your meal with fresh or dried fruits.

·Avoid layering your cake with sugar or icing.

·Avoid adding sugar into fruit juices.

·When preparing drinks, provide the sugar or milk separately.

·Replace condensed milk with low-fat or fresh milk.

·Use only a little salt in your cooking, and avoid sprinkling salt onto your food.

·Decrease the use of oyster sauce, chilli sauce and tomato ketchup, as well as flavouring while preparing meals. Replace them with suitable natural spices like black pepper, ginger, etc.

·Reduce consumption of preserved foods like salted fish, salted eggs, preserved vegetables, etc.

Are you a physically active person? For a person working in the office, and spending a lot of time in front of the computer, you may be a less active person.

WHEN I visited Pulau Tioman 21 years ago, it boasted stretches of white, sandy beaches and clear, pristine waters.

There was little human activity on the islets at the time, as evidenced by the spartan wooden chalets and canteens. This added to its “virgin” appeal. Colourful fish would nibble at our feet as we stood ankle-deep in the ocean, circling us gracefully as we waded out.

It was enchanting, and a mere preview of the rich marine life of the deeper waters.

However, when I visited the island recently to cover a clean-up effort by a group of citizens, I found Tioman to be quite different from how it used to be.

“Being an avid diver, I had the idea of tasking a group of Malaysians with cleaning up a local island,” explained Azhari Harun, 36, a local bank loan officer who headed the three-day/two-night excursion.

“We chose Tioman because it’s supposedly one of the more polluted islands in Peninsular Malaysia,”

Through word-of-mouth, Azhari gathered 40 diving enthusiasts for the clean-up. The group’s excursion was endorsed by BN Youthlab and funded by Dana Belia 1Malaysia, a government fund for creative projects that promote unity by local youths.

Several hours after arriving at a simple chalet residence in Kampung Paya (an isle west of Tioman), we set off in two boats for Pulau Renggis, 12km west of our base. The sun beat down hard and the winds gave speed to the waves. The northeast monsoon was just around the corner.

There was a good energy in the air as the divers mingled easily, eager for the underwater assignment.

As we approached the site nearly an hour later, the divers worked together, helping each other strap on heavy scuba tanks. They went down in pairs, tagged to teams of between six and eight. Unfortunately, a prolonged bout of seasickness kept me aboard that day.

Surprisingly, the site turned out to be cleaner than expected, reported one of the participants, 39-year-old Asmazi Omar, when they surfaced 45 minutes later. That preliminary dive yielded little result, but as the organisers explained, the relatively shallow dive at 12m was meant to ease the participants into the two-day task

At any rate, it made for a good icebreaker as the divers enthusiastically swapped underwater experiences during lunch on the two boats. The camaraderie continued into the evening over a game of tug-of-war, followed by a sumptuous buffet. We turned in early.

At mid-morning the next day, we headed towards two locations, Gado Bay and Soyak Island.

At Gado Bay, as the divers descended, a few of us lingered at the rear of the two adjacent boats, watching in delight as schools of fish surfaced to nip at the bread we tossed. Quickly strapping on my mask, I plunged into the chilly ocean with more bread in my fists. Colourful fish surrounded me unabashedly, eager for their noon meal.

It brought back memories of my last visit to Tioman, two decades ago, when the ocean was full of life.

When the divers surfaced, we headed for Soyak Island, a rocky site known for its array of soft coral and sightings of migrating schools of fish and turtle. This time, I prepared to explore the seabed at 15m.

Visibility was quite good, and I had a good view of my surroundings.

It was cooler below, and the marine life kept a safe distance from my diving buddy and I. I thought of what one of the participants, banking officer Samantha Ong, had said the night before: “Remember the Little Mermaid cartoon? That’s how the ocean is supposed to look like.”

In reality, the ocean wasn’t so vibrant. Although beautiful, the coral seemed rather forlorn, and I had to cover quite a distance underwater before sighting an anemone. Two clown fish peeked out nervously. Further down, a palm-sized sea urchin lay beneath a huge coral formation and a plump red fish with puckered lips gazed around dully.

We took our time snapping photos before rising to the surface 45 minutes later.

Azhari pointed me to the fact that the team had hauled up nearly a dozen garbage bags, excluding large debris such as rope and an entangled fishing net. One of the more experienced divers explained that underwater litter was just one of the many ocean hazards.

“There’s also chemical pollution and global warming, which causes inadaptibility problems for marine life,” he said.

Later that evening, the group bonded over a friendly game of beach volleyball before dinner.

“This programme is also meant to be a platform for Malaysian youths (below 40) to bond over sporting activities,” Azhari said. “Diving for the environment is a good opportunity for young Malaysian to get together for a common cause.”

On hindsight, I think Tioman is still beautiful and worth visiting – if a little subdued.

It was a sobering reality for the few of us who lingered around the dining area, discussing our observations.

“It saddens me to imagine the future of the underwater environment,” said Samantha Ong, a banking officer, who was thrilled to participate in the dive cleanup. “Hopefully, our efforts will make a difference.”

A second visit to Tioman is already in the works.

“I’m very grateful that the fund has made this possible for us. It’s our ocean, and we’re heartened to do our bit for it,” she said.

NO place is complete without a bubble tea stall. At least, that seems to be the case since the beginning of this year as tiny, shiny balls that have come to be known as “black pearls” invaded the shores of Malaysia.

Yes, bubble tea is “in” again.

We are seeing long queues at outlets, not unlike the ones seen when J.CO Donuts & Coffee first came to town. And it’s all for a slurp of the ice-cold confection topped with creamy milk swirls and scoops of yummy and gummy tapioca pearls.

The drinks, originally from Taiwan, first arrived in Malaysia about 10 years ago, although by then, we had already become enamoured of Starbucks Frappucinos and sidewalk cafés. As such, bubble tea was relegated to a once-in-a-blue-moon beverage — something you enjoyed if it happened to be available around the corner.

One of the most popular players in the industry, Yippee Cup, has been around since 2003, but with the arrival of international chains Chatime and Gong Cha, we are now seeing a surge of activities in the bubble tea front.

The craze has yet to ebb, even as reports claiming that selected Taiwanese-imported bubble tea syrups were tainted with the carcinogen DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) surfaced in June. Of course, the local operators have since been cleared of such claims. The crowd is back and it’s definitely gotten bigger. Which goes to show that bubble tea is not just another passing fad.

“Malaysians have started to embrace a modern tea-drinking culture,” says Chatime Malaysia’s chief executive officer Bryan Loo, 26. “Whenever we said yum cha in the past, we actually meant ‘Hey, let’s meet for coffee’.” Now, the phrase has taken on a more literal meaning.”

Price could be one factor in tea’s popularity. “Honestly, how many can afford to go to Starbucks all the time?” ponders Loo.

Calling all cycling enthusiasts out there, the inaugural OCBC Cycle Malaysia being organised in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow and over this coming weekend, promises to give you and your loved ones an experience of a lifetime.

This popular event, which has been a success in Singapore since it was initiated in 2008, is now giving Malaysians the chance to join in the fun, and feel the invigorating experience of cycling in a group - not to forget it‘s a great way to keep in shape too!

In fact, it's really an event all cyclists would not want to miss out on since it will be the largest cycling event to be held in Kuala Lumpur and many of the roads will be closed.

Chris Robb, Managing Director of Spectrum Worldwide – the event’s organisers said in a press release: “It gives me immense pleasure to announce that we have surpassed our target of 3,000 riders for OCBC Cycle Malaysia 2011. To hit close to 3,500 cyclists in the first year is an incredible achievement, underlining the sheer passion of the cycling culture in Malaysia. It will be quite a sight seeing so many riders at Dataran Merdeka,” he said.

What's more, Minister of Youth and Sports, Dato’ Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek will be joining participants and cycling through the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Accompanying the Minister is a contingent of 80 cyclists from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, while other notable participants include the 400-strong team from OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Terengganu Pro Asia champion Anuar Manan, national cyclists, cycling clubs, and teams from the major media houses.

Also, don’t feel left out if you think you have forgotten how to ride a bike! To cater to everyone – both

young and old – there will be six different cycling categories of various skill levels.

With Kenny Heights and Avenue K recently joining as sponsors, Malaysians an now look forward to national cyclists blazing the streets during the Kenny Heights Ultimate City Race 2011.

The other categories include The Challenge (52km), The Community Ride (21km), Mighty Savers™ Kids Ride (4km for 6-7 year olds), The Tricycle Ride (100m for 2-5 year olds), and the Polygon Foldies Community Ride (21km).

Participants driving to the event are advised to park at Dataran Merdeka Underground Parking (entry from church side), Padang Merbok, Daya Bumi Complex, Jalan Tanglin, Bukit Aman, or Jalan Kebun Bunga (Lake Garden).

Those who wish to take public transport should use the Putra LRT (Kelana ine) or Star LRT (Ampang Line) and disembark at Masjid Jamek station.

OCBC Bank and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of specialist financial services, ranging from consumer, corporate, investment, private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance, asset management and stock broking services. OCBC Bank’s key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China. It has a network of over 500 branches and representative offices in 15 countries and territories, including more than 400 branches and offices in Indonesia that are operated by its subsidiary, Bank OCBC NISP.