Malaysian daily threatened racial harmony: home minister - AFP

Malaysia's home minister said Thursday he decided to stop a leading Tamil-language daily newspaper being published because it had violated guidelines threatening racial harmony.

Makkal Osai's general manager said Wednesday it received a letter from the home ministry refusing to renew its annual permit, without giving reasons.

"We have media guidelines and we do not simply cancel a publication permit," Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar told state news agency Bernama.

"In the case of Makkal Osai, we do not cancel the permit but decided not to extend it," he added.

Syed Hamid said the guidelines stipulated that newspapers should not raise sensitive issues that could threaten racial harmony and the country's stability, Bernama reported.

However, he told Bernama the paper could appeal the decision.

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