Handshake shaking up blogosphere

Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia

A conservative Muslim government minister admits he shook hands with first lady Michelle Obama in welcoming her to Indonesia but says it wasn’t his choice.

Footage on YouTube shows otherwise, sparking a debate that has lit up Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the blogosphere.

“I tried to prevent [being touched] with my hands but Mrs. Michelle held her hands too far toward me [so] we touched,” Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring told tens of thousands of followers on Twitter.

Though Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, the vast majority practice a moderate form of the faith. But Sembiring has flaunted his conservatism and says he avoids contact with women who are not related to him.