Oh snap! Tan Chuan-Jin's mask pops off during swearing-in ceremony livestream

If there was a lesson Tan Chuan-Jin learnt yesterday evening (July 27), it's not to fiddle with your mask, especially when you're on camera.

The strap of his mask snapped while he was listening to President Halimah Yacob speak at the swearing-in ceremony at the Istana.

Realising the fix he was in, the Marine Parade Member of Parliament (MP) slipped off his mask and took a moment to work on a quick knot.

But it did not escape the attention of sharp-eyed netizens.

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They recorded the gaffe and DMed the 51-year-old on Instagram, who gamely reshared the clips on his Stories.

"Eh sir, you never wear mask. Please wear ok?" reminded an Instagram user, while another one told him: "Omg this was so funny when we saw it live! It made my family's day!"

The social media-savvy MP took the comments in stride, sharing the lesson he learnt during the ceremony.

Some important bits include: Don't fiddle with mask; make friends with the cameraman; and always practise your knots.

And to feel better about the embarrassing situation perhaps, "always bring a spare donut," Tan mentioned his favourite snack.

"Either that or I do Squats until end of transmission."

That same night, he shared that his mask (made by a Marine Parade Polyclinic patient and gifted to him) has been fixed, quipping, "Life-long learning. See? Mask is now very sturdy."

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It's always a good idea to bring along a spare mask when you leave your home. You'd never know when your mask will act up like it did for him.

lamminlee@asiaone.com

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