Fewer than 25,000 voters will decide who controls Chua Chu Kang this election.

And it is bread and butter issues that are at the heart of the campaign - issues like local transport and the smell from near-by farms.

This single-seat constituency in the northwest used to take up one-eighth of the island's mass.

These days it is a lot smaller, with around 24,863 voters.

And this year there are only two candidates, not the crush of four seen in 1997.

It is a straight fight between incumbent Low Seow Chay of the People's Action Party and the Singapore Democratic Alliance's Steve Chia, 31, who is secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party, part of the SDA.

According to Associate Professor Low, Chua Chu Kang is an example of a pure HDB heartland.

"The majority are four-roomers, half of which are three-roomers, five-roomers and executive flat dwellers," he said.

From Mr Chia's point of view, he is there to ensure residents get heard in Parliament.

"They basically want people to speak up for them … raise their concerns," Mr Chia said.

He cited the building of the LRT as an example of when residents were not heard by the authorities.

"They made it and found that it's not profitable. They forced the residents to take the LRT by scrapping the bus service … They rather walk to the MRT station," Mr Chia said.

"So when you want to do policies, when you want to do programmes, consult with the people what they actually want," he said.

But according to Professor Low, grassroots issues like transport and the smell from local farms are subjects he has already taken up with the relevant authorities.

"The opposition said we haven't spoken up for residents. But I've made two speeches about the smells from the farms," Professor Low said.

"We got back to the LTA and demanded for the 307 (bus service) to be reinstated … The problem of CCK Central is very much in our heart," he said.

The professor says the record proves his concern for residents.