PETALING JAYA: The CEO of a government-linked company has apologised for not shaking hands with agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu at an event in Kedah recently, after the snub went viral online.
MadaCorp CEO Abdullah Ismail said he had already greeted Mohamad upon his arrival at the event, and proceeded to accompany him as the minister greeted and shook hands with other officials.
However, when Mohamad extended his hand to him again, Abdullah said he was caught off guard and did not reciprocate, leading to the perception that he had snubbed the minister.
“I humbly acknowledge my mistake and apologise for not shaking the minister’s hand again, and I apologise over the misunderstanding,” he said in a statement.
The video of the interaction, which occurred during Mohamad’s work trip to Kedah, had drawn criticism from some netizens.