The Malaysian government has finally given the nod for cinemas to screen Hollywood comedy "Bruce Almighty" despite a minister's complaints that it was against Islamic beliefs.

The movie was set to debut in cinemas here Thursday but was postponed after minister for religious affairs, Abdul Hamid Zainal Abidin, said the movie, in which star Jim Carrey is given divine powers and challenged by God to do a better job of running the world, was "not appropriate".

"We cannot equate ourself with God almighty even as a joke," he said.