‘It is not my style, but Salvu Mallia is Salvu Mallia’ - Simon Busutill

‘It is not my style, but Salvu Mallia is Salvu Mallia’ Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil told Indepth when questioned about the PN candidate’s use of colourful vocabulary in political discourse by news editor Rachel Attard.

“He should express himself, but this does not mean that I agree with what he says”.

Dr Busuttil said that Salvu Mallia, in his capacity as a general election candidate, will be required to follow the party line at some point, and Dr Busuttil assured viewers that he would ensure this.

Dr Busuttil went on to say that while he does not approve of the vocabulary Mr Mallia employs, he understood why he used it. “He is angry, he feels betrayed because he voted for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, after he convinced him that things would change for the better”.

Mr Mallia has also been in the media spotlight for the number of protests he has conducted over the previous months. When asked as to whether or not they were being conducted without the knowledge or approval from the Nationalist Party, Dr Busuttil denied these claims insisting that he knew beforehand about the protest in front of Castille, and the protest in Republic Street which also involved PN candidates David Thake and Wayne Hewitt.

Mr Mallia had previously said that he would follow his conscience before party rhetoric, when he was questioned on his differing stance on certain issues such as euthanasia and abortion.

Dr Busutill told Indepth that he too acts according to his conscience and if he were pressed to go against it he would find it very difficult to do so.

He went on to say that Mr Mallia, while supporting his right to express himself, will need to realize that he is also a candidate of the political party, and will need to act accordingly when necessary.