Prime Minister Robert Abela said that government entities, customer care officials and even Members of Parliament have the “sacred duty” to help people with their legitimate needs and expectations, and if [us] politicians lock themselves in an ivory tower, “we would be doing the largest disservice to our country.”

Abela spoke to The Malta Independent on Wednesday, where he was asked about the condemning statement made by the Malta Employers’ Association (MEA) on the recent scandals involving benefits fraud and driving test licenses.

The MEA was reacting to reports that that a Transport Malta racket to help candidates obtain a driving licence leads straight to Minister Ian Borg and his trusted workers. In comments about the issue, the PM said that Borg was just doing his job and saw nothing wrong with this kind of customer support.

The MEA said that Abela’s pronouncement “is a radical invitation to anarchy.” Abela was asked to comment on this statement, yet he avoided it.

“I make a clear distinction between help given after a legitimate request, and help requested from illegitimate requests,” Abela said.

He said that in instances where help was given in an illegitimate way, there are people answering before the courts, after being investigated and prosecuted by the police.

Abela said that the police did this a number of months ago, where a number of people were spoken to. He said that when police found irregularities, the persons involved were charged in court.

“If someone asks for something illegitimate, I am the first one to have always adopted the position of explaining that it is something I cannot help them with, as it is not within the country’s regulations,” Abela continued.

He said that wherever there are legitimate ways to help when people ask, with anything they could experience in their daily lives, then it is government’s duty to not neglect people’s needs, whichever the sector.

“If we formed part of a political class which chooses the easy road, we would be distancing ourselves from people’s realities,” Abela said.

He mentioned an example, where he said that he could not close an eye to someone who comes to him in a situation of poverty.

“Do I tell him to go to the entities, or speak to the other entities? One can argue that it is not the Prime Minister’s job to help someone in poverty. My main duty is to give strategic direction and lead this country, but simultaneously, I believe it is also my duty to go to the streets, go to the people, and keep my feet on the ground with their needs,” Abela said.

He said that if he cannot help, he then explains why an expectation from the public cannot be met.