The challenge facing candidates in Nee Soon Central has been described as the battle for the coffeeshop vote.

Nee Soon Central, a single-seat ward in the north of the island with 22, 975 voters, is a constituency that is prepared to go either way.

In 1997 it returned a People's Action Party member after one term of opposition administration.

The Singapore Democratic Party has once more laid claim to the ward: the SDP's Cheo Chai Chen fought for the seat in the last two elections, winning in 1991 but losing in 1997.

So it came as something of a surprise on Nomination Day when his party chairman Ling How Doong was fielded instead.

The 65-year-old lawyer was elected MP for Bukit Gombak in 1991 by a small margin of three percentage points.

But he lost the seat at the next election by more than 30 percentage points.

"In politics we don't give up that easily you know. We don't give up that easily. Because we feel that there is a calling from the people. They want opposition so that's what we offer them," Mr Ling said.

But why Mr Ling for Nee Soon Central?

That, he says, was a party decision.

The SDP's decision to field him instead of Mr Cheo has come as a welcome surprise for the PAP incumbent, 57-year-old Ong Ah Heng.

In the last election Mr Ong beat Mr Cheo comfortably, even though the SDP candidate had considerable family support in the area, having grown up in Nee Soon.

In comparison, Mr Ong says, Mr Ling is a relative unknown here.

"I feel more relaxed because he's not a very strong opponent which I expected," Mr Ong said.

"I know that to Yishun Central residents, he's a new face, so very hard to Ling," he said.

Mr Ong says that his track record is also in his favour.

Over the past five years, he has improved facilities and cleanliness on the previously run-down estate.

And as the resident profile there tends towards the retired and elderly, estate renewal is still a big pull in Nee Soon Central.

As in the last election, GE 2001 will again be the battle of the coffeeshop politicians here at Nee Soon Central.

Both men have in the past fought and won on their personable grassroots approach.