I RUN a medical clinic and was visited by a Health Ministry pharmacy inspection team of three officers recently. Two of them warmly accepted my offer to shake hands, but the third refused to do so and I wondered if I had offended the said officer. Therefore, extending the open hand shows that you have no weapons in the hand, and are coming for a friendly interaction with goodwill. I write to request that the protocol division of the Health Ministry and the Public Services Commission set out the proper greeting gesture to welcome Muslim officers who choose not to shake hands. With the public being aware of a clear set of protocols on friendly greeting gestures, it will make for harmonious interaction and avoid embarrassment or misunderstanding in our multireligious society.

Source: New Strait Times November 04, 2019 18:00 UTC