Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian museum which had defied calls for it to stop a popular exhibition on supernatural beings on Friday cancelled it after an Islamic fatwa, or religious decree, was issued, state media said.

Thousands of visitors have been drawn to western Negri Sembilan state's museum since it launched the ghost and genie exhibition on March 10, due to run until May 31.

Its curator had resisted calls from Malaysia's arts minister and a mufti for it to be shut down amid criticism that encouraging a belief in ghosts was un-Islamic.

But Negeri Sembilan's state secretary Kamaruddin Siaraf, also chair of the state museum board, said Friday the exhibition was terminated after Malaysia's National Fatwa Council ruled against such events.

He said the decision was made out of respect for the council's views, the state Bernama news agency reported.

The National Fatwa Council Thursday reportedly ruled that exhibitions on ghosts, ghouls and supernatural beings were forbidden, as they could undermine the faith of Muslims.

"Supernatural beings are beyond the comprehension of the human mind. We don't want to expose Muslims to supernatural and superstitious beliefs," council chair Abdul Shukor Husin was quoted as saying in the Malay-language daily Berita Harian Friday.

Abdul Shukor said the council's decision would be presented to all of Malaysia's state governments for gazetting as religious law.

"Only state governments have the power to take action, especially concerning the ghostly exhibitions," he said.

Malaysians have a lingering fascination with all things supernatural, despite the criticism.

A belief in spirits and black magic used to be common in rural Malaysia, bred on myths and superstitions. It was used to gain power and wealth, and to harm enemies.

The practice reached its height during the sultanate days of the 16th century, but faded away as the influence of Islam grew in this multicultural nation.

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