Former Nationalist MP Jean-Pierre Farrugia has turned down the opportunity to sit on a government board, citing loyalty to his voters as the reason behind his decision.

“Although the Foundation for Medical Services is directly in my line of expertise, I have refused an appointment on its board out of loyalty to the 1,118 voters who showed their trust in me, not because I don’t want to contribute,” he said.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, Dr Farrugia explained he feels he would be used politically if he was to sit on one of either the two boards he was asked to be part of. “Loyalty is loyalty,” he stressed, “even though I have differences with my party”.

Before being offered the post of FMS board member, Dr Farrugia was asked by Parliamentary Secretary Jose Herrera to form part of the Heritage Malta board.

While Dr Farrugia refused to sit on either of the two boards on two different occasions, his name was published in the list of FMS board members on 31 May issue of the government gazette.

To his surprise, people were calling about these appointments right till this very day, which led Dr Farrugia to write a letter to the Health Minister.

In the letter he sent today, and which he posted on Facebook, Dr Farrugia explained the situation and said that while on the first instance (the Heritage Malta board appointment) he had made his decision to refuse public, on this occasion he did not feel the need to explain himself publicly again. Yet, since his named is still being linked, he decided to announce his refusal in public.

Dr Farrugia had retired from politics after failing to get elected in the March election.