KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — A group called Aku Budak Chow Kit Club (KABCK) has claimed responsibility behind posters and buntings sporting the #TolakJohariGhani (#OustJohariGhani) seen around the Titiwangsa areas last week.

According to a report by Sinar Harian, the club claimed the posters were a sign of their disapproval for incumbent Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Ghani from Umno.

KABCK president Ahmad Ayob Ramli was quoted saying the posters were aimed at the Second Finance Minister for him to realise his unsatisfactory level of service.

The report stated that KABCK was requesting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to replace Johari with a new candidate to represent Barisan Nasional (BN) in Titiwangsa for the upcoming elections.

"We had to hang up the banners so that Johari realised that he failed to give good service to the voters in Titiwangsa.

"Honestly, there are many better and higher calibered candidates in Titiwangsa besides Johari,” Ahmad Ayob reportedly said during a press conference at a hotel in Chow Kit on Wednesday.

He said that the police reports lodged by Titiwangsa Umno division members, whose chief is Johari, along with several non-governmental organisations (NGO) over the banners were strong-armed politics meant to threaten and instil fear. 

"We do not see the hanging of banners as something against the law. Actually, we are not against the government.

"It was not even an attempt to mock Johari or the prime minister. We are just asking the prime minister to reevaluate Johari,” Ahmad Ayob was quoted saying.

The report then quoted KABCK vice president Mohamad Lizad Md Zain who said the club would organise a thanksgiving feast if the prime minister names a new candidate to replace Johari.

"If Datuk Seri Johari is not named as candidate, our club will have a grand scale thanksgiving feast where five lambs will be roasted.

"The candidate chosen by the prime minister will get our 100 per cent support as long as it is not Johari Ghani.

"We will be ever grateful if he is not picked,” he was quoted saying.

English daily News Straits Times reported that 21 clubs and NGOs representing 20,000 people in Titiwangsa declared their support for Johari and expressed confidence that he would ensure victory for BN with an even bigger margin during the GE14.

Their spokesperson, Sukarelawan Warga Titiwangsa president Muhamad Hariff Ahamat was quoted saying the groups offered their full support for Johari.

"Datuk Jo is favoured by many here. He is approachable and spends time with the constituents every week and we are aware of his programmes for the benefit of the people here,” he was quoted saying.

Hariff was then quoted saying they were compelled to demonstrate their support for Johari in the wake of repeated attacks by the KABCK.

"We do not know where this club came from. Yesterday (Tuesday), its members claimed that they set up banners(defaming Johari), but on March 20 they denied it.

"What is its motive? This has disrupted the harmony in Titiwangsa,” he was quoted saying.

Muhamad Hariff had then claimed the group had contravened Section (1)(C)(ii) of the Societies Act. 

About 100 representatives were said to be present during the press conference in Taman Maluri.

Those present represented members from Titiwangsa Belia 4B, Malaysian Youth Congress, Majlis Belia Kawasan Titiwangsa, Persatuan Anak-Anak Jelatek Kuala Lumpur, Kelab Belia Ekspresi, Kelab Belia Amal Titiwangsa and Pertubuhan Pemuda Komuniti Seri Perlis 1.

Also there were members from Persatuan Belia Bakti Keramat Mall, Kuala Lumpur Women of Wisdom, Kelab Bola Sepak Super Strikers, Kelab Media Siber Kuala Lumpur and NRC Titiwangsa.