NEWS | Wednesday, 11 March 2009

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Matthew Vella
Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday played down accusations of racism amongst the Maltese against African migrants, instead saying that the Maltese were more concerned about “illegality”.
Muscat made his statement at the Mariam Albatool Muslim school, which he described as an example of Maltese tolerance.
He was met by Imam Mohammed El Sadi, Omar Ahmed Farhat, the secretary-general of the Islamic Call Society, and head of school Maria Camilleri, who is also contesting for MEP for the Labour Party.
“Maltese society is tolerant but it doesn’t accept illegality… the Mariam Albatool school has teachers and a head of school who are Catholic, showing how tolerant Maltese society is, and how it is not true that the Maltese are racist.”
He said the Maltese did not agree with illegality, and the way illegal immigration to Malta was being handled by the government.
The Opposition leader recently ‘challenged’ government to a debate on illegal immigration in Parliament, citing the most recent off-season arrivals.
In turn he was criticised for attempting to curry favour with the right wing.
According to the PL’s press statement, Muscat said the Mariam Albatool school had developed a unique model in Europe that was succeeding because it was being managed “well and legally.”
He said the Maltese were concerned “about what is illegal” and added the PL would be addressing these concerns in a plan of action it will be presenting in parliament when the migration debate starts in the coming week.

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