Muscat dodges questions on Anglu Farrugia’s ‘backstabbing’
Labour leader refuses to directly answer on statements by former deputy leader.
Labour leader Joseph Muscat has steered clear of answering any questions on statements made by his former deputy leader Anglu Farrugia, who yesterday told the Sunday Times he had been stabbed in the back by the party leader.
Muscat was adamant about not answering questions on statements by Farrugia of the party's proximity to big business and building developers, but only said that the statements were "a matter of interpretation".
"We have no problem working with the private sector - we are not going to be a party for the few."
When asked specifically over Farrugia's claims that he had been stabbed in the back, Muscat refused to give a direct answer to the press.
His crowd of supporters outside the Paola health centre drowned out other questions on Farrugia, applauding Muscat as he insisted he would not comment any further on Farrugia.
The Labour leader has justified his stand to finance private hospital operations on NHS waiting lists, saying that a new Labour government was ready to conduct a study on the maximization of human resources capacity to improve public healthcare.
Muscat said a new government would invest €8 million over and above current levels to improve public healthcare, carry out door-to-door transport of medicinals for the elderly over the age of 70 and disabled people, which he tagged at €500,000, and extend the breast screening and osteoporosis screening programmes with follow-up programmes as well as strengthening the fight against diabetes.
"We want people to trust public healthcare and not need to go to Mater Dei Hospital, and therefore relieve pressure from the hospital's current demands," Muscat said.