The emergence and growth of cultural and polictial consciousness among the Malayan Chinese since the late nineteenth century were complicated by the independence of the former British colonies after World war Ⅱ. In 1956, despite the objection of the British colonial authorities, the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, particularly those in Malaya, founded Nayang University. But the University was closed down by Singapore goverment in 1980. It should be noted that Singapores is a nation where Chinese is ethnic majority group. It is the intention of this paper to examine the meaning of the episode. The author, based upon solid evidence, makes efforts to explain that the establishment, growth and close-down can be served as indicators of the development of a Singapore identity.