Ronna Nirmala – Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo sparked comments among Indonesian Twitter users on Monday after a photo of him giving the middle finger was spread on Twitter.

Fauzi confirmed it was indeed a picture of him, but added he was unaware of what the gesture meant. "I don't understand those kinds of things. I didn't understand until now. Do all band members [make this gesture]?" Fauzi said in Jakarta on Monday.

His spokesman, Cucu Ahmad Kurnia, said Fauzi was only joking and trying to mingle with some youth during an event at Bung Karno Stadium in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

"He couldn't possibly aim his [middle] finger at people. He was only joking; others were laughing at that time. He was talking with members of a motorcycle gang, and then there was also a band competition," Cucu explained.

In the picture, Fauzi was seen raising his middle finger as he stood between a girl, also raising her middle finger, and a boy, who raised his thumb.