The father of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Saviour Muscat, has passed away.

Posting on Facebook, Joseph Muscat said that his father had been fighting an aggressive tumour for two and a half years. "When they found it, they had only given him a few months to live, but he kept fighting without ever giving up."

"I was hoping he would see the third feast of the Saviour, which he lived for, while he was passing through this struggle. But everything turned in 24 hours" He said that his father was surrounded by his mother, his wife Michelle, and his two children Etoile and Soleil.

Muscat spoke about what his father was like, describing him as a man who worked for his family. "The biggest value for him was education."

"He was among my harshest critics in politics, in a good way, as he always wanted me to be better. If something passed his test of critique, I knew that it was going to be good."

"He used to listen to the tens of people who went to him for support," Muscat said, adding that his father didn't mind sticking his neck out for others.

Muscat said his father made feasts his life, and knew nearly every person involved in every town and village. "He had words of praise and gave support to everyone."

His father also loved animals, Muscat said, particularly dogs.

"My mother, Michelle, Etoile, Soleil and I love you very much," Muscat said.

Muscat took the occasion to thank a number of people who were of great help over the past years - Nick Refalo and all the workers at SAMOC, Chris Fearne and Jo Etienne Abela, "the latter who never let him stray from under his sight as a patient. Silvio Grixti, Deo Debattista, Clifford Caruana, Steve Montfort, Franco Mercieca and Arthur Garard.

The Malta Independent expresses its condolences to the Muscat family.