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"Elsewhere, the PAP candidate for Joo Chiat, Mr Charles Chong, took issue with Workers' Party's Mr Yee Jenn Jong's view that residents there did not want estate upgrading. "(Mr Yee) JJ made statements like upgrading is not necessary, and he backed that up by saying he is a local boy, a local resident here. That sets us back quite a fair bit, in the sense that we are trying to convince the various agencies that upgrading is necessary, upgrading is what residents want, and we are trying to get to the front of the queue," said Mr Chong. "I know he has to make political statements during election time, but saying things which put residents' interests at risk is not something which we would like him to do." Mr Chong said residents told him they wanted drains to be improved and roads to be widened. He suggested converting some narrow two-way streets, such as the ones at Telok Kurau estate, into one-way lanes. Mr Chong added that he is concerned about elderly residents living in private property in the area but who may have no income. "During my walkabouts, I see old couples, retirees with zero incomes, living off their earnings and getting very little from the (GST) Offset package, solely because they live in landed property. So in other words, they too are in need of assistance," he said. "If you look at bank (savings and fixed) interest rates, they are pretty low, below one percent. And if you look at inflation, that's much higher than the returns they get in their savings. These people have got zero income, but by virtue of the fact that they live in private property, landed property, they get the minimum of the package that other Singaporeans get," he added. "I think this is an issue I really have to address, because it doesn't seem a very equitable distribution. These people are probably in greater need than those people staying in 3-room HDB flats and with a job," said Mr Chong." Sources can anyone tell me what the FXXK is this Ah chong talking about? if those staying in private properties have no income and not much savings, they can always sell their PRIVATE PROPERTY and live in a resale 3RM HDB. the sale from the PRIVATE PROPERTY is more than enough to last them till they die.