Malaysian graffiti artist Cloakwork has taken to Instagram to express his disappointment after DBKL allegedly painted over his artwork on two old bus stops in the city.
The artist, known for transforming dull urban spaces into vibrant murals, questioned the authorities’ decision.
“Why erase art when there are potholes to fix?”
In his post, Cloakwork shared that these old-fashioned bus stops once housed traditional mini shops, originally built by the government to support the underprivileged.
“These stops used to have mini shops selling drinks, snacks, and other essentials, often catering to bus passengers and taxi drivers waiting nearby,” he explained.
However, as the city modernized, these mini shops disappeared, and only a handful of these older bus stops remain—many in a state of neglect.
Instead of leaving them to decay, Cloakwork took it upon himself to revive them with his graffiti, turning them into colorful and eye-catching pieces.
“Instead of spending taxpayers’ money to cover my harmless art, why not try to fix the potholes on the road?” he wrote.
His post quickly gained traction, with many netizens siding with the artist.
Some questioned why the city council was so quick to erase creative work when many public spaces were still in poor condition.
Others argued that street art adds character to urban areas and should be celebrated rather than removed.
