The artist whose mural will be removed by the Johor Bahru City Council for being inappropriate has presented a "politically-correct" version of it albeit in a cheeky manner.

In a Facebook posting, Lithuanian-born Ernest Zacharevic's alternate version shows the Lego man, who was initially painted as a mugger about to pounce on a Lego woman, holding flowers instead.

The flowers cover up the knife he had held as he waited around the corner from the Chanel-bag carrying Lego woman, but he is still wearing a ski mask.

NONE Zacharevic, who is also known as Zachas, even included Tourism Malaysia's Visit Malaysia 2014 logo in the alternate version.

"Politically correct version - there is nothing that flowers could not cover!" said the artist, whose murals of childhood scenes in Penang attracted international attention.

Others too have suggested their own versions of the mural in hopes that the JB City Council would reconsider its decision.

Among them is a proposal to add a Lego police officer.

Netizens also questioned how the mural could be deemed inappropriate when signs warning pedestrians of snatch thieves are not.

Kit Siang: Take it as a challenge

Yesterday, JB mayor Ismail Karim said the council would remove all three of Zachas' murals in the city as they are inappropriate.

This followed the advice of state executive council (exco) member Tee Siew Keong that the artist should use his talent to help promote the state's tourism and development instead.

Earlier, the artist told Malaysiakini that the mural was his take based on what JB is known for - the theme park Legoland and high crime rate - according to locals.

NONE "Art does not damage a city's image, crime does," he said in an email response.

Meanwhile, DAP's Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang said that the energy spent debating and deciding on Zachas' mural would be better spent on reducing JB's high crime rate.

"Let this be the challenge to the relevant authorities, including the Johor menteri besar, the state excos, Johor police chief, JB city mayor and councillors to rise up to the occasion to use an adverse mural to transform JB into a safe low-crime city for its residents, tourists and investors," he said.

Johor has the third highest number of crimes committed per 10,000 people, after Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

Seventy percent of the state's crime is committed in JB, Johor police reportedly said.

They expect the crime rate to drop to about 17,500 cases this year compared to 26,624 in 2008.