Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Marymount Single Member Constituency, has publicly apologised after a video showing a delayed handshake during a public event circulated widely online and drew criticism from netizens.
The video, which surfaced on social media on June 7 and has since garnered over 185,000 views on TikTok alone, captured Ms Gan exiting a car and being greeted by a group of eight men at an event. Among them was a man in a red shirt, who helped her close the car door and extended his hand for a handshake.
However, in the footage, Ms Gan is seen initially shaking hands with another man she was introduced to, while momentarily overlooking the man in red. The handshake with the man in red took place shortly after, once Ms Gan had greeted the others.
Speaking to the media on June 8, Ms Gan clarified that the incident took place on May 17 during her visit to the inaugural Peck San Theng Cultural Festival, held at Peck San Theng in Bishan. The festival was hosted by Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, a 155-year-old cultural institution managed by 16 Cantonese clan associations.
Ms Gan said that it was her first time visiting the institution and admitted that she was momentarily overwhelmed by the large group of people who had come to receive her. She added that she had been attempting to identify the host among them to greet him first.
“When I got out of the car, I was trying to identify the host of Peck San Theng and shake hands with the host first,” she explained. “I was also a little overwhelmed by the big group that received me when I got out of my car. I sincerely apologise to the man in the red shirt for the delay in shaking hands with him.”
In the video, the sequence of events shows the man in red standing beside Ms Gan’s vehicle as she arrives. After assisting her with closing the car door, he extended his hand. Ms Gan, however, proceeded to shake the hand of another man and continued greeting the rest of the group before turning to shake hands with the man in red.
The video sparked backlash from viewers, with many commenting that the initial dismissal of the extended hand seemed disrespectful or arrogant. Despite eventually completing the handshake, the perceived slight was enough to provoke criticism from members of the public online.
In response, Ms Gan emphasised her appreciation for the invitation to the cultural event and the warm welcome she received. She expressed regret that her actions were misinterpreted and noted that she had asked the event organiser to personally convey her apology to the man in red, as she is currently overseas.
This public apology was intended to address the sentiments expressed by viewers online, many of whom felt slighted on behalf of the man. Ms Gan’s statement aimed to clarify her intent and maintain her rapport with the public, especially in light of the viral nature of the video.
The incident has become another example of how public figures are under constant scrutiny, especially in the age of social media, where gestures—intentional or not—can quickly go viral and impact public perception.
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