Those who are calling for information on Maltese citizenship are being told taht even membership in a gym in Malta is sufficient to establish residence for a Maltese citizenship, MP Jason Azzopardi claimed.

The MP was having another of his bouts with Minister Manwel Mallia during Question Time.

The exchange was sparked by a reply by the minister who refused to give out information about the package enjoyed by the Executive Chairman of the government agency Identity Malta, Joe Vella Bonnici, because it was 'sensitive'.

The minister told MP Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who at that time was deputising for Dr Azzopardi, that Mr Vella Bonnici was to coordinate various departments such as those for Identity Cards, Passports, IDs, Citizenship, IIP, Public Records and Lands.

The minister would only give out one detail, that Mr Vella Bonnici's contract has been signed.

In reply then to what was alleged by Dr Azzopardi, Minister Mallia said he wants to investigate the claim that a gym membership is enough for citizenship because Dr Azzopardi has often been caught out as having incorrect information which he did not check before lashing out with it.