[WATCH] 37,000 voting documents remain uncollected

Prime Minister and Labour leader Joseph Muscat was in Haz-Zebbug this evening where he urged residents to help him pass on the message that the Labour government deserved a second term in office. 

Muscat was given a hero's welcome in Haz-Zebbug, a locality which Muscat described as "loyal to the country".

Among the crowd was also former PL MEP John Attard Montalto.

Muscat kicked off his speech with the usual warning: staying at home on Election Day is not an option, that all candidates of the Labour Party must be voted for and that all voting documents need to be collected.

Some 37,000 voting documents remain uncollected.

Referring to the Egrant inquiry, Muscat said that Magistrate Aaron Bugeja spent six days studying the papers which Opposition leader  presented last week, only for Bugeja to once again state the papers had nothing to do with the "calumny against me and my family".

"Why are you [Busuttil] so afraid of this inquiry? Why are you scared of the truth? Why don't you want the people to know the facts about the general election. I say that he knows that he based his statements on a lie and that we are telling the truth," Muscat said.

The crowd cheered on as the Labour leader insisted that Busuttil would have to resign if the inquiry confirms that there's no truth in the Egrant allegation.

"When you have no plan, all that's left is to resort to lies."

Aware of the number of Haz-Zebbug residents who are hunters, Muscat warned that electing a PN-PD government might spell the beginning of the end for hunting.

"I was asked if I agree with spring hunting, and I replied yes. Simon Busuttil said he agrees but Marlene Farrugia said she disagreed. Busuttil said that a compromise would be found... but this is not a question of compromise and there's nothing to compromise on: you either agree or disagree."

Speaking before Muscat, Health Minister Chris Fearne pointed out that on Saturday, several voters will be casting their vote and the Nationalist Party has not yet published its electoral manifesto.

Firing up the crowd, Fearne said that if Simon Busuttil wanted to discuss principles, "bring it on".

"But let me tell you... my principle is that Malta comes first and foremost. And yet they are, in a coordinated attack against you and us, by Simon Busuttil and his people.  They built this attack on a lie," Fearne said, referring to allegations that Egrant Inc belonged to the Prime Minister's wife.

"He wants to put Joseph Muscat in prison: but I say that he must first imprison each one of us before he can do that," Fearne said to loud applause.

The minister insisted that only the Labour government can guarantee free healthcare services for all because this represented the principles which the PL believed in.

At the mention of Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia the crowd started booing loudly. Haz-Zebbug, hometown of the family doctor, forms part of the seventh district, on which Farrugia - the former Labour whip - is contesting with the Democratic Party under the PN banner.