JOHOR BARU: The Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) will seek “expert views” on the wall graffiti by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic before taking any action on the matter.
Its public relations officer Aziz Ithnin said the council had yet to receive any official complaint about the graffiti in Taman Molek, which depicted a knife-holding man, preying on a victim around the corner.
Aziz said that MBJB would usually act immediately when it discovered vandalism on public buildings.
For instance, he said, the council would paint over the wall that had been vandalised.
“But if it is a privately owned building, then we would ask the owners to repaint the affected section,” he said yesterday.
Aziz also acknowledged that Zacharevic’s artwork might cause a negative perception of the city.
“Next year is a very important time for Johor Baru as 2014 is Visit Malaysia Year. The council will be making checks to beautify the city,” he said.
The graffiti by Zacharevic has sparked a debate, especially among netizens, on its meaning and impact to Johor.
Zacharevic was previously in the limelight when his art known as Boy on a Bike and Little Children on a Bicycle were painted on walls in Penang.
A group of people, led by several Oppositon assemblymen, held a protest yesterday pressing for the artwork to remain.
“I think it sends out a message to all of us, telling us to be careful of thieves. It’s also a message to the authorities to take act against crime,” said manager Brandon Leow, 33.
Johor Jaya assemblywoman Liow Cai Tung said the protest showed that many people were against the idea of removing the graffiti.
“This is just being creative,” she said.
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