E-Plus Global Sdn Bhd, the organiser for the travelling United Buddy Bears exhibition in Penang, has denied the event was scrapped after a hadith was found on the hip of one of the bear statues on show.

The firm’s chief executive officer Andrew Chin said the exhibition, which is to promote peace and harmony, will go on until its last day on Oct 30.

The exhibition, featuring 140 bear statues, each two metres tall, has been on show at Padang Kota Lama in George Town since Aug 27.

“It is not true that the exhibition has been scrapped, we managed to resolve the matter with the Mufti Department and others involved and the event will continue until Oct 30,” Chin told Malaysiakini.

“I believe the mufti’s statement was wrongly reported,” he added.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor said a quotation from Prophet Muhammad was written in Arabic on the hip of one of the bear statues on show.

The quotation, or hadith, translates as: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."

Wan Salim reportedly said in a statement: "This exhibition is to encourage peace and unity across race, religion and culture, but the existence of such text at an inappropriate spot may cause misunderstanding among Muslims.

"We hope future exhibitors can refer to the mufti's office if there exists any part in their exhibition which relates to Islam, so as to ensure there are no forbidden elements."

Penang paying for cost of exhibition

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who launched the event yesterday, said the state was presenting the exhibition for the public at a cost of RM862,000.

It was launched in conjunction with Merdeka, Malaysia Day as well as Visit Penang Year, Lim said.

“It’s indeed an ideal day today to have the launching ceremony in celebration of Merdeka. We hope that this exhibition enables visitors to experience a journey around the world while having a great time with family and friends,” he said in his speech yesterday.

The United Buddy Bears Penang exhibition is supported by the state government with the cooperation of the Penang Island City Council and Penang Global Tourism.

According to the United Buddy Bears website, their activities have raised more than €2 million for poor children, via Unicef and local children's relief organisations.

The bears were featured in Kuala Lumpur from December 2011 to February 2012, with artist Imuda designing a bear statue on Malaysia's behalf.

The Kuala Lumpur exhibition and activities linked to it raised RM285,750 for children in need.