The wife of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has apologised to followers on the popular photo-sharing platform Instagram for her occasional outbursts online.

Yesterday’s apology came after Kristiani Yudhoyono, better known as Madam Ani, was lampooned online and criticised in the media for being short-tempered.

Kristiani has been the subject of Internet jokes after she responded angrily to a follower who criticised her online activity at the time when citizens in the capital Jakarta were grappling with widespread flooding.

“If I have said words that are hurtful and unacceptable to some of my followers, I apologise,” Kristiani said in an Instagram post that accompanied the picture of a white flower.

“Let’s continue to share stories and memories through photos on Instagram ,” said the first lady, who is an avid user of Instagram and has posted hundreds of her photographs.

Kristiani’s latest outburst was triggered by a comment after she posted the photo of her grandson.

“At a time when the people are struggling with flooding, Madam Ani is busy with her Instagram account,” a follower wrote.

Kristiani responded: “Why am I being picked on?” “Where are Mrs Jokowi and Mrs Ahok?” she said, referring to the wives of Jakarta governor Joko Widodo and his deputy.

In October, Kristiani blasted a follower after he appeared to criticise her Instagram photo showing her and her family wearing traditional batik clothes, which are normally worn on formal occasions, on a beach.

“Oh my God, your comment is very stupid,” she fumed. “Didn’t it occur to you that we were on an official visit and stopped briefly at the beach as we were passing by?”

Indonesians on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook seized on Kristiani’s latest online tantrum by posting the photo of her model daughter-in-law, Annisa Pohan, with the caption: “If you think your mother-in-law is grumpy, check out the Instagram of my mother-in-law.”

- dpa