The Malaysian government has shut down a leading Tamil daily critical of its policies, a move slammed by the opposition as a “crackdown” on press freedom and human rights.

The government has suspended the publication permit of Makkal Osai or The People’s Voice without specifying any reason, the newspaper’s General Manager S M Periasamy said, adding they were informed of the decision over phone by the Home Ministry.

However, the government said it decided not to renew the licence of the newspaper as the publication had breached some of its licensing guidelines.

Home Minster Syed Hamid Albar said every newspaper was reviewed on a yearly-basis in terms of its contribution to society with regards to building a more united Malaysia and how “we should portray moving forward in creating more unity, understanding and goodwill.”

Claiming that there had been several complaints against Makkal Osai, the minister said the newspaper could appeal if it was not satisfied with the decision.

Since Malaysia was a multi-racial and multi-religious country, “there were very sensitive issues, which necessitated the need for media guidelines,” he was quoted as saying by Star newspaper.

“We do not simply renew a licence,” he said, adding that the media should be careful in raising issues that were extremist or could cause misunderstandings.

All Malaysian media organisations need a government licence which is renewed annually.

Opposition lawmaker Lim Kit Siang of Democratic Action Party described the decision as a “crackdown on human rights” and press freedom by the government. The newspaper had its permit suspended for one month last August for publishing a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a can of beer in the other on its front-page.