Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, Gan Siow Huang, has issued a public apology after a viral video showed her delaying a handshake with a member of a lion dance troupe during a community event in May.
The incident occurred on 17 May 2025, during the inaugural Peck San Theng Cultural Festival, held in Bishan.
The event was hosted by Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, a 155-year-old cultural institution consisting of 16 Cantonese clan associations.
In the video, Ms Gan steps out of a car and is greeted by eight men, one of whom, dressed in a red T-shirt, appears to be part of the lion dance troupe.
She initially shakes the hand of one man while exchanging greetings with the others.
The man in the red shirt assists her in closing the car door and then extends his hand for a handshake.
Ms Gan briefly looks at his outstretched hand but chooses instead to shake hands with another individual.
As the man in red continued to extend his hand, he briefly made contact with Ms Gan’s hand, prompting her to grasp it lightly in what appeared to be a fleeting, reluctant handshake before she turned to greet the others.
The sequence has drawn criticism online, with some observers interpreting the hesitation as dismissive.
The video has been widely circulated across social media platforms, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.
One commenter noted, “She chose not to see him reaching out to shake her hand, even though he was dressed in a RED T-shirt.”
Another stated, “My father said, if someone extended their hand to shake your hand, you must shake their hand. No matter who they are.”
A separate user wrote, “Did I just see a man feeling snuffed, disappointed and slighted? I think I did…”
In a statement to The Straits Times on 8 June, Ms Gan, who is also Member of Parliament for Marymount SMC, addressed the backlash and expressed regret.
“This was my first visit to Peck San Theng,” she said. “When I got out of the car, I was trying to identify the host and shake hands with the host first.”
She continued, “I was a little overwhelmed by the big group that received me. I sincerely apologise to the man in the red shirt for the delay in shaking hands with him.”
She also said she has asked the event organisers to convey her apology to the individual, as she is currently overseas.
Ms Gan expressed appreciation for the invitation and the warm reception she received at the festival.
The incident has sparked comparisons to a political episode from the early 1990s involving former Cabinet minister Dr Seet Ai Mee.
During a 1988 campaign visit to a wet market, Dr Seet was observed washing her hands after shaking hands with a fishmonger.
Though she later explained she did so for hygiene reasons before meeting Muslim residents, the act became controversial.
The issue resurfaced during the 1991 general election, when then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong attempted to clarify her intentions publicly, inadvertently reigniting the controversy.
Dr Seet later lost her seat, becoming the first Cabinet member in Singapore to do so.
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