The East Coast-Fengshan Town Council says it has reminded its estate cleaning contractor to observe its guidelines, after netizens had asked why town council workers were distributing bags bearing the logo of the People's Action Party (PAP).

In response to The Sunday Times queries, a town council spokesman said it had received queries on photos showing town council workers carrying election materials.

It immediately conducted an investigation and identified the people in the pictures as employees of its estate cleaning contractor.

The spokesman added that they were not fulfilling any duties related to the town council at that time.

"We do not condone workers wearing their uniform for non-town council-related work. We have reminded the estate cleaning contractor to observe our guidelines," said the spokesman yesterday.

On Friday, Facebook user Amir Abu Adam posted photos showing a worker carrying white plastic bags with the PAP logo. The worker was wearing a maroon shirt with the words "East Coast-Fengshan Town Council", and a screenshot of CCTV footage showed a worker carrying the bags along the corridor of a housing block.

Another picture showing workers standing near a trolley filled with the white PAP plastic bags was also posted.

The Sunday Times understands the photos were taken in Bedok.

The electoral contest in East Coast GRC is one of the most closely observed ones in this election, with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat leading a PAP team against challengers from the Workers' Party (WP).

Mr Heng is running alongside Dr Maliki Osman, Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Cheryl Chan and Mr Tan Kiat How, while the WP team comprises Mr Dylan Ng, Mr Kenneth Foo, Mr Terence Tan, Ms Nicole Seah and Mr Abdul Shariff Aboo Kassim.