KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Street artist Ernest Zacharevic’s wall painting of a Lego man wearing a ski mask and holding a knife waiting to rob a Lego woman carrying a “Chanel” bag has caused a bit of a stir in Johor Bahru.

In the ensuing uproar, media outlets today reported that Zacharevic reworked the painting as he posted a picture of the mural with the masked man, styled after the minifigures from the popular toy line, now holding a bunch of flowers.

However, Zacharevic’s publicist Gabija Grusaite said in an email to The Malay Mail Online that “his recent post is just a funny repost from a fan that clearly indicates the hashtag (#ownlypenang) and is not created by Ernest. He is unaffected by the uproar and will continue to create outstanding art that will not be compromised for any reasons whatsoever.”

Among those unimpressed with Zacharevic’s wall art was Johor CPO Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff.

A comparison of the before and after renditions of the Ernest Zacharevic mural in Johore Bahru. — Screenshot from the artist's Facebook page

“It is totally incorrect to show Johor in such a manner. The police have the upper hand over the criminals. Johor is safe for living... for residents and for businesses,” he told The Malay Mail Online.

Mohd Mokhtar has spearheaded the successful Community Police Post (CPP) programme in the state, which saw the police bring the crime rate in certain areas by 15 per cent.

Zacharevic made the scene a couple of years ago with a series of wall art in George Town, Penang. The project was part of the George Town Festival 2012.

His wall art including the whimsical “Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur”, poignant “Boy on a Bike” and joyful “Little Children on a Bicycle” continue to draw crowds of people every day.

A new “Ernest” sighting is widely shared on social media, especially Facebook, but his latest work in Johor Bahru has drawn a different kind of attention. Flak.

Last week, state Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Tourism exco member Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the picture would paint the state in a poor light.

“People with talent should use it in the right ways, to help boost our tourism and development,” The Star daily reported him as saying.

When contacted this afternoon, Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) corporate communications officer Aziz Ithnin said the local authority will issue written notices to owners of the buildings where the wall art are located.

“If they fail to repaint, MBJB will take action by repainting the walls,” he said.

Aziz described the “wall paintings” as “vandalism” and said the notices will be issued as soon as possible.

Zacharevic’s other drawings in Johor Bahru depict a couple looking at a large “tree” that is actually a patch of green moss on the wall and a water tank around a plastic pipe sticking out of a wall.

Interestingly, Zacharevic visited Singapore ― a city state that comes down hard on all forms of graffiti ― recently and did some commissioned wall art pieces which were very well received.