Paddy Chew, 39, an AIDS activist who was the only person in the conservative city-state of Singapore to publicly admit he had the ailment, died as its result Aug. 21 in Singapore.

He revealed he had AIDS during Singapore's first conference on the disease last December. He campaigned vocally for greater awareness of the disease and tolerance for its victims. AIDS continues to carry a deep social stigma in Singapore, and victims of the disease usually conceal their condition, flying overseas to be tested or to receive medical treatment.

Official statistics say that transmission of the disease has been chiefly by heterosexual sex with prostitutes. The homosexual community, of which Mr. Chew was a member, is unhappy about the government's refusal to publicly discuss the transmission of AIDS through homosexual sex, which remains illegal in Singapore.