A Malaysian newspaper run by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan party Sunday pressed ahead with publication despite being suspended by the government. Critics have labelled the crackdown on the Suara Keadilan as an attempt to silence free speech and muzzle the opposition in its attempt to reach out to voters amid speculation of a snap election. 'Yes, the latest issue has hit the streets. We feel the government has not banned the newspaper. It only has not renewed the printing permit,' Keadilan lawmaker Tian Chua said. 'We have the right to circulate information. We are a political party and it is our role to provide different perspectives,' he added. Suara Keadilan ran into trouble after the authorities said it violated publishing laws with a report this month which claimed a government agency is bankrupt. The Home Ministry, which oversees Malaysia's newspapers, said it would not renew Suara Keadilan's permit -- which expired last Wednesday -- as it was not satisfied with the paper's explanation for the allegedly inaccurate report. The newspaper has a circulation of 100,000 copies and highlights political issues. All newspapers need an official permit to print, which must be renewed annually. The licensing system allows the government to close media outlets at will and often encourages publishers to toe the line. Tian Chua, Keadilan's strategic director, said the government was trying to silence criticism and intimidate opposition supporters. 'We believe we are right in what we are doing,' he said. Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, a minister in the prime minister's department, said authorities would act against Keadilan for defying the order. 'We will take action. We are clamping down on lies, not free speech,' he told selfnews. The opposition scored unprecedented gains in elections in 2008, which saw it claim five states and a third of parliamentary seats. The next election is not officially due until 2013 but pundits say it could be held next year. 