SINGAPORE — A cultural group has released footage to clear the air over a handshake incident that led to online criticism of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang.

Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng said it had invited Gan for a Cantonese cultural festival held at Peck San Theng in Bishan Lane on Saturday (May 17).

Representatives of the 155-year-old cultural institution, which is managed by 16 Cantonese clan associations, were waiting to greet her when she arrived alone.

The footage shows her alighting from the car, with a mobile phone in her right hand. She then slips the phone into her rear right trousers pocket as representatives of the group approach her.

Among those who extended their hand was Leong Chee Leng.

The 72-year-old is a member of the Kong Chow Wui Koon lion dance troupe, which was scheduled to perform at the Cantonese cultural festival.

Leong can be seen extending his hand to greet her, but Gan is also approached by Edward Leong, the chairman of the cultural festival’s organising committee.

After shaking hands with Edward Leong, Gan takes Leong Chee Leng’s hand, and then proceeds to shake the hands of several others gathered at the carpark.

The footage was shown at a press conference held by the cultural institution on June 13 at Peck San Theng.

Leong Chee Leng, who was at the press conference, said he noticed that Gan was momentarily distracted by her mobile phone and when somebody else approached her, but did eventually shake his hand.

He said in Mandarin: “(Gan) is really very polite. It’s not like what you imagine from the video. Why do netizens want to attack me and the minister?”

Gan had on June 8 apologised after a video, shot by somebody in the lion dance troupe, made the rounds on social media.

Gan, who is the MP for Marymount SMC, told The Straits Times that it was her first visit to Peck San Theng, and she was overwhelmed by the group that went to greet her.

“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 said.

“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.”

Dr Yee Wai Seng, the vice-chairman of the festival’s organising committee, said Leong Chee Leng was not meant to be part of the group to welcome Gan at the festival.

He said Leong Chee Leng had approached Gan out of excitement.

Leong Chee Leng said Gan had chatted with him during the event. He added that after the handshaking incident blew up online, she met him to apologise in person.

“We talked it out and everything is okay. I didn’t take the incident to heart,” said Leong.

The member of the lion dance troupe who shot the video had uploaded it on Facebook as a record of the event, but did not know who later spliced and circulated the handshake portion.

Edward Leong, who is president of the Singapore Poon Yue Association, said: “We are very disturbed and concerned that the uploaded videos (on social media) were with bad intentions.”

Dr Yee added in Mandarin: “We hope netizens can rationally think about this incident and not view this from a single-sided perspective, or embellish details and cause division.

“Hopefully, we can put this misunderstanding to rest and move forward.”

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.