IPOH: The popular Air Kopi O Ikat Tepi mural by famous Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic in Jalan Tun Sambanthan here was torn down based on a previous agreement with the owner of the building.
Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the Ipoh City Council (MBI) could not prevent the demolition as the building was privately-owned.
"We cannot prevent the demolition because it is a bilateral agreement between the owner of the building and the painter.
"It is understood that the agreement is for a (specific) period," he said.
Rumaizi said this after attending the launch of the 2022 Environmental Health Campaign to Eradicate Dengue Outbreak and Hotspot at Masjid An-Nur, Batu 8, in Ulu Kinta here today.
On any other building with murals demolished to make way for development in the state capital, Rumaizi said that so far, only the Air Kopi O Ikat Tepi mural was affected.
He said more mural paintings would be added to attract tourists to the state capital.
"We will add more. It is in our plan to increase the number of murals in Ipoh.
"Perhaps after this, there will be other painters. We have to change the painter after a certain period. We have to change according to current trends," he said.
He said murals would be part of the move to market Ipoh as a tourist city.
It was reported that the Kopi O Ikat Tepi mural was demolished to make way for the construction of a hotel.
The mural showcased the popular way coffee is served in Malaysia.