KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Artist Anurendra Jegadeva has finally been cleared of claims he had insulted Islam after the authorities seized his painting, “I is for IDIOT” that was displayed a month ago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s founding here.

The painting was part of  the “ABC For The Middle-Age Middle Classes” installation and featured a mirrored inscription of the Arabic “bismillah” that is part of the Islamic phrase commonly translated as “In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”

The phrase “I is for IDIOT” also featured in white typeface on top of the images of a chimpanzee riding a bicycle, a jet fighter pilot in front of the words “Mission Accomplished”, and a red-and-white-striped flag with a Jolly Roger skull-and-crossbones — commonly associated with pirates — on it.

“Both Jakim and the police agreed that there is no offensive element to the work so it has been returned to the organisers,” Anurendra told The Malay Mail Online in a text message today.

He had been investigated under Section 298 of the Penal Code for intent to wound the religious feelings of any person after several pro-establishment bloggers attacked Anurendra’s painting for what they perceived to be offensive towards Islam, Malaysia’s dominant religion with some 17.3 million followers, according to the most recent census in 2010.

But the prominent artist popularly known as J. Anu seemed vexed with the National Visual Arts Gallery, which was the organiser of the M50 Selamat Hari Malaysia exhibition that ran from August to September 17.

“I have a real issue w the national gallery and the fact that they pushed back and never stood by me the artist at any point at all - of course even once the work was cleared no one has made any statement and of course the work has not been reinstated,” Anurendra, who is currently in Singapore, added.

The local artist had previously explained in a statement that “I is for Idiot” — one of the 26 works that make up his “Alphabet for the Middle Aged Middle Classes” series — was intended to express his feeling of solidarity with the Iraqi people during the American conflict in Iraq.

He had said it was meant to depict a certain moment in world history when everything “seemed upside down and inside out”, denying any malicious, evil, or mischievous intent to insult or belittle Islam.

He also apologised if the painting had “caused offence to anyone”, explaining that he had never intended to offend fellow Malaysians.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, whose portfolio has oversight of the public gallery, had previously suggested there was dishonesty in that the painting was allegedly slipped into the exhibition without the knowledge of its screening committee.

The minister also said he found the artwork to be “offensive” on “first look”.

The secretary-general of the Muslim Organisations in Defence of Islam (PEMBELA) coalition had reportedly filed a police report over the painting on August 28 and the police had visited the exhibition at the Publika shopping mall here the next day and removed the controversial item.

The other paintings that formed part of the 26 pieces in the installation were later taken down from the exhibition.

News portal The Malaysian Insider had earlier today reported the entire collection to have been sold, for an undisclosed sum.