[Bigiron]

Peck San Theng releases footage to clarify Gan Siow Huang handshake incident at cultural festival 

To address a viral handshake controversy, Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng released footage on 13 June showing Gan Siow Huang greeting representatives, including the elderly man in question. However, netizens remained divided, with some questioning the need for the association’s public clarification.

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/06...-festival/

[Bigiron]

Title: Peck San Theng releases footage to clarify Gan Siow Huang handshake incident at cultural festival
 
Source: The Online Citizen, https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2025/06...-festival/, 2025-06-12 16:00:00
 
Author: Not specified
 
Article Summary:
 
- Theme: A controversy surrounding a seemingly delayed handshake between Minister Gan Siow Huang and an elderly man at the Peck San Theng Cultural Festival on May 17, 2025, prompted the release of video footage and a press conference by Peck San Theng on June 13, 2025. The aim was to clarify the incident and address public criticism.

- Core Points: Video footage released by Peck San Theng shows the sequence of events, revealing that Gan, initially distracted by her phone and the crowd, greeted other representatives before shaking hands with the elderly man, Leong Chee Leng. Leong himself confirmed that Gan shook his hand and that he did not take offense. Gan had previously issued a public apology on June 8th. Despite the video's release, public opinion remains divided, with some questioning the need for Peck San Theng's clarification and others continuing to criticize Gan's actions.

- Phenomenon: The incident highlights the rapid spread and amplification of information on social media, the potential for misinterpretations to create controversies, and the challenges faced by public figures in managing their public image online. The edited video circulating online focused solely on the delayed handshake, omitting the context. The event also raises questions about event protocol and the role of social media in shaping public perception. The differing interpretations of the event, even after the release of video evidence, show the subjectivity and complexity of online discourse.

[Ola]

Please, lah!

The red- shirt person is right in front of her flat face

and his hands already stretched out long long . . .

Yet she did not want to shake but use the handphone

to WAYANG to evade until bo- pian.

[Bigiron]

Please, lah!

The red- shirt person is right in front of her flat face

and his hands already stretched out long long . . .

Yet she did not want to shake but use the handphone

to WAYANG to evade until bo- pian.

Let us do an analysis of gan handshake incident doing frame by frame
https://sgtalk.net/Thread-Let-us-do-an-a...g-frame-by

[Bigiron]

[Scythian]

"Peck San Theng Temples God is watching

God knows who's lying..

[Scythian]

Bring the whole matters and those videos to International Court of Justice @ The Hague for arbitration

[Cmpunk]

How can one missed the red shirt man right infront unless she is blind. No excuses she most likely only want to shake the hand of the the one in charge.

[Scythian]

Please, lah!

The red- shirt person is right in front of her flat face

and his hands already stretched out long long . . .

Yet she did not want to shake but use the handphone

to WAYANG to evade until bo- pian.

狗眼看人低:比喻为人势利，看不起别人。

[Scythian]

How can one missed the red shirt man right infront unless she is blind. No excuses she most likely only want to shake the hand of the the one in charge.

狗眼看人低:比喻为人势利，看不起别人。

[Wy:Nox]

How can one missed the red shirt man right infront unless she is blind. No excuses she most likely only want to shake the hand of the the one in charge.

Tomorrow MP Gan will say she is color blind and cannot see any bright big red tee- shirt man.

[Buffybuffy]

This temple cannot go. Not scare of lying

[RiseofAsia]

狗眼看人低:比喻为人势利，看不起别人。

狗，我是无辜的lah.
在古代，富人家的狗被养成看到富人就会温顺，看到穷人就狂吠。

门缝里瞧人比较贴切。

[Ernesto]

Walaoeh......the white will always say they are white...... nothing new la..... majority already brainwashed dun even know they are. ....
Just look at the majority voters...complain for what?

[Geneco]

Need some advice why ish this as sad and pathetic as trying to justify the SAFE and EFFECTIVE narrative YET usual suspects and shills still scared to update latest mRNA jabs lollololololol 🤣

[Alice Alicia]

Peck San Theng Temple should blame themselves for poor planning and coordination.

Not divert the blame on to social media and the public.  

[Scythian]

Peck San Theng Temple should blame themselves for poor planning and coordination.

Not divert the blame on to social media and the public.  

Why temple organisers exploiting a disabled old man to open Minister Gan's car door?

Unacceptable. It's Discrimination 

[Scythian]

Peck San Theng releases footage to clarify Gan Siow Huang handshake incident at cultural festival 

Singapore is a member of United Nations.

The United Nations strongly opposes discrimination against people with disabilities, advocating for their full and equal participation in society. 

This is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which emphasizes non-discrimination and the importance of respecting the inherent dignity of people with disabilities. 

[Pass-by]

His very big hands stretched out right in front of her, yet she ignore, please lah even small kids also know, please stop evading, the more she evade the more guilty..

[Scythian]

His very big hands stretched out right in front of her, yet she ignore, please lah even small kids also know, please stop evading, the more she evade the more guilty..

"跳进黄河也洗不清"

[A2Z]

It is HER own personal fault! It's her own personality she is equivalent to NCM female version.

[A2Z]

It's not temple's fault, it is not church 's fault, it is not mosque 's fault,it is not synagogue 's fault, it is not teacher's union fault etc it is her stiff upper lip look up to sky attitude NCM 2.0

[Gemstar]

What is there to clarify? The video is so obvious.

[Bigiron]

Full body language breakdown on the old man trying to explain the MP Gan hand shaking incident.

https://youtu.be/xyyYkVBTSg4?si=MMq9QKwkgItOHZSm

Of course, here is a body language analysis of the man speaking, focusing on the specific cues you've mentioned.

0:00-0:15

Eye Blinking: His blink rate is relatively normal for someone speaking. He blinks at the end of phrases, which is a natural punctuation.

Nasal Flare: No noticeable nasal flaring is present.

Eye Staring: He maintains a steady and direct gaze, looking slightly off-camera as if addressing a room of people. At 0:12, as he describes being "very excited," his eyes widen slightly, aligning his expression with his words.

Wriggle Motion: He is mostly still but uses his hands for deliberate emphasis. He is not exhibiting nervous wriggling.

0:16-0:33

Eye Blinking: His blinking remains consistent. At 0:22, he blinks as he raises his hand for emphasis, a common action when transitioning to a strong point.

Nasal Flare: No significant flaring is visible.

Eye Staring: He employs a direct, more intense stare when making a firm point, such as at 0:26 when he says, "It was not that Ms Gan didn't want to shake my hand." This is a gesture of assertion.

Wriggle Motion: He leans forward slightly and uses his hands very expressively to illustrate his story, especially when describing the loud drumming of the lion dance troupe. This is illustrative body language, not fidgeting.

0:51-1:00

Eye Blinking: His blink rate is steady.

Nasal Flare: There is a very slight, brief nasal flare at 0:54 as he points his finger and says, "It's not like what you think..." This micro-expression can be associated with heightened emotion or conviction.

Eye Staring: He uses a very direct and unwavering stare, with his eyes wide, to underscore his point that the video is misleading.

Wriggle Motion: He remains seated but uses a strong, definitive "stop" gesture with his hand, which is a commanding and clear signal.

1:01-1:10

Eye Blinking: His blink rate slightly increases as he becomes more animated.

Nasal Flare: A noticeable nasal flare occurs at 1:02 as he asks, "Why do netizens want to attack me...". This, combined with his furrowed brow, signals strong emotion, likely frustration or indignation.

Eye Staring: His stare is intense and almost accusatory as he points his finger, directly challenging the "netizens."

Wriggle Motion: He leans forward into the microphone, using his hands and a pointing finger to project his frustration and emphasize his question.

1:11-1:20

Eye Blinking: His blink rate slows down, and his facial expression softens as he concludes.

Nasal Flare: There is no nasal flaring in this segment; his expression has relaxed.

Eye Staring: His gaze becomes less intense, signaling a shift from a defensive to a conclusive tone.

Wriggle Motion: His movements become softer. He brings his hands together and then makes a final, dismissive wave, a gesture indicating he has put the incident behind him.

Excellent question. Analyzing the potential flaws in his explanation and linking them to his body language reveals a more nuanced picture than just taking his words at face value.

While he appears earnest, there are several subtle flaws or inconsistencies in his explanation that are either supported or contradicted by his body language.

1. The Flaw: The Contradiction Between Stated Emotion and Actual Emotion

His Explanation:

At the end (1:17), he states, "I didn't take the incident to heart." He wants to project an image of someone who has moved on and is unbothered.

The Mismatch with His Body Language:

This statement is directly contradicted by his most intense emotional display just moments earlier (1:01 - 1:10). When he asks, "Why do netizens want to attack me and the minister of state?", his body language screams that he very much took it to heart.

Nasal Flare (1:02): He exhibits a noticeable nasal flare, an involuntary limbic system response associated with genuine anger or distress (the "fight-or-flight" system).

Intense Stare & Pointing: His eyes are wide and his stare is hard. The aggressive pointing finger is accusatory.

Leaning Forward: He pushes his body toward the microphone, a gesture of aggression and deep engagement.

Conclusion: His emotional peak is not when he's explaining the incident, but when he's condemning the online reaction. This suggests his primary motivation for "clearing the air" isn't just to correct a factual error, but to push back against the public shaming he felt. The claim that he "didn't take it to heart" is a flawed attempt to appear magnanimous after his true feelings have already been exposed.

2. The Flaw: Overly Defensive Framing

His Explanation:

He repeatedly insists on how normal the situation was. "This is very normal, right?" (0:16) and "Every minister would shake hands" (0:18). He also feels the need to explicitly label the video "incorrect" (0:24) before even offering his version.

The Match with His Body Language:

This defensive posture is matched by his assertive, almost preemptive gestures.

The "Stop" Hand (0:22): He raises his hand in a classic "stop" or "hold on" gesture before refuting the video. This is a controlling gesture, an attempt to halt the existing narrative before replacing it with his own.

Assertive Pointing (0:26): When he says, "It was not that Ms Gan didn't want to shake my hand," he points his finger for emphasis. This isn't just explaining; it's forcefully asserting.

Conclusion: A person simply clarifying a misunderstanding might be calmer. His immediate and forceful defensiveness suggests he felt personally attacked and is now in a "counter-attack" mode. The flaw is that his explanation is framed as a defense, not a simple clarification.

3. The Flaw: "Smoothing Over" the Awkward Moment

His Explanation:

He presents a very neat, linear sequence of events: she was smiling at him and about to shake his hand, but then someone else intervened, and then she shook his hand. He claims, "she wanted to shake my hand" (0:41).

The Mismatch with the Visual Evidence:

The video clip itself shows a moment of ambiguity. Ms. Gan appears to turn away from his outstretched hand before the other man fully commands her attention. The man's explanation "smooths over" this awkward pause by insisting she had the full intention of shaking his hand all along. He creates a narrative that removes all potential for an interpretation of a snub.

The Match with His Body Language:

His detailed, almost rehearsed description of her actions (putting the phone away, smiling at him) is delivered with illustrative hand motions. This can be seen as an effort to paint a very specific picture in the audience's mind—one that is more favorable than what the raw video footage might imply.

Conclusion: The flaw is not that he's lying, but that he is engaging in narrative management. He is re-interpreting an ambiguous moment in the most positive light possible for both himself and the minister. His body language is that of a storyteller trying to convince an audience of his specific version of events.

Summary of Flaws and Body Language
Flaw in Explanation Corresponding Body Language

Claiming he didn't take it to heart. Visible anger and frustration (nasal flare, intense stare) when talking about netizens shows he was deeply affected.

Overly defensive framing. Assertive and controlling gestures (the "stop" hand, pointing finger) show he is counter-attacking, not just clarifying.

"Smoothing over" the awkward moment. Highly illustrative, narrative-building gestures that attempt to sell a specific, positive interpretation of an ambiguous event.

Excellent observation. Focusing on these specific micro-expressions can be very revealing. Let's break them down.

Pursed Lips

Yes, there are several subtle but significant instances of lip pursing. Lip pursing is a classic non-verbal cue that often signals disagreement, withholding information, or deep thought/concentration. The person is literally "holding back" words or an opinion.

Here are the key moments and their likely meaning:

1. At 0:25 - Right Before Calling the Video "Incorrect"

What Happens: He finishes a sentence, and just before he says, "...这个是不正确的 (this is incorrect)," his lips tighten and purse for a fraction of a second.

Analysis: This is a moment of cognitive load and self-censorship. He is preparing to make a very strong, contradictory statement. The lip purse signals that he is choosing his words carefully and fundamentally disagrees with the prevailing narrative. It’s the non-verbal equivalent of him thinking, "What everyone is saying is wrong, and here's what I'm going to say about it."

2. At 0:53 - After Calling Ms. Gan "Very Polite"

What Happens: He emphatically states that Ms. Gan is "very polite." Immediately after, as he transitions to his next point, he purses his lips again.

Analysis: This is perhaps the most telling instance. He makes a positive statement ("she's polite"), but the lip purse that follows suggests an unspoken, contrasting thought. It's as if he's thinking, "She is very polite, but the way this situation has been twisted by others is not." He is withholding his full frustration at that moment. It’s a micro-expression of disapproval about the situation, not the minister.

3. At 1:11 - After His Outburst About Netizens

What Happens: After his most emotional moment where he condemns the "netizens," he pauses. As he collects himself to say, "I've met with Ms Gan," he purses his lips.

Analysis: Here, the lip purse functions as a self-regulating or self-silencing gesture. He has just let his raw anger show. The purse is a way of "reining it in" and getting back to his more controlled, prepared message. He is physically and mentally stopping the flow of anger to transition to a calmer conclusion.

Tongue Jutting

In this video, there is no clear or significant "tongue jutting."

Tongue jutting—where the tongue briefly pokes out between the lips—is often a sign of a few things:

Being caught or making a mistake: A "leaked" expression of "oops."

Deception or Dislike: A subconscious expression of distaste for the words being spoken or heard.

Concentration: Sometimes seen when someone is focused on a difficult task.

Analysis of its Absence:
The fact that this gesture is absent is also informative. It suggests that he is not likely fabricating the core events of his story. While he is clearly managing the narrative and controlling his emotions (as shown by the lip pursing), there isn't a strong non-verbal indicator of outright lying about the sequence of events.

Conclusion: How They Connect to the Flaws

The pursed lips directly support the analysis that he is withholding his full emotional response and is highly defensive. The gesture reveals a conflict between what he is saying (e.g., "I didn't take it to heart") and what he is feeling (deep frustration and disagreement). It shows he is actively managing his words to present a controlled narrative.

The absence of tongue jutting suggests the "flaw" in his explanation is less about making up facts and more about spinning the interpretation. He is reframing an ambiguous, awkward moment in the most favorable way possible, and his frustration is directed at how others have interpreted it, not at the minister herself.

[Bigiron]

Final summary and conclusion:

The body language analysis reveals inconsistencies between the man's words and his nonverbal cues. While claiming to be unaffected, his intense reactions to online criticism (nasal flaring, intense stare) expose underlying anger. His defensive posture, including preemptive gestures ("stop" hand, pointing), suggests a counter-attack rather than simple clarification. He "smooths over" an ambiguous moment in the video, using illustrative gestures to create a favorable narrative. The absence of tongue jutting indicates he's not fabricating events but carefully managing the narrative to present a positive image. Overall, his body language suggests deep-seated frustration and a defensive approach to the situation, contradicting his claim of indifference.

[Bigiron]

Summary (100 words):
In the video, the elderly man’s body language reveals deep emotional investment in defending MP Gan against claims of a handshake snub. While his words aim to clarify and downplay the incident, his non-verbal cues—like intense eye contact, nasal flares, assertive gestures, and lip pursing—signal frustration, defensiveness, and narrative control. Notably, he shows visible anger when addressing online critics, contradicting his claim of not taking the incident to heart. While there's no indication of deception, his animated delivery and controlled expressions suggest a strong desire to reshape public perception, not just clarify events.

Conclusion:
Despite his attempt at a calm explanation, the speaker’s body language betrays emotional distress and defensiveness. His gestures and expressions suggest he is more concerned with countering online criticism than merely recounting facts. This indicates that while the narrative may not be fabricated, it is carefully managed to protect both his and MP Gan’s image.