The motion was presented by Opposition and Malta Labour Party leader Dr Alfred Sant who claimed that the Minister lied to the House of Representatives when he said that the decision to halt the dismissal of two Malta Transport Authority (ADT) convicted of bribery was a collective one. The Minister had said that the decision followed discussions with Chairperson Joe Gerada, however, the latter denied that both he and the ADT board were involved in the suspension of the officials’ dismissals in an interview with The Times of Malta.

The bribery case concerned two ADT officials admitting to accepting bribes to pass students from their driving tests.

Earlier this year, the Court of Criminal Appeal confirmed the sentence handed down by the Courts of Magistrates in the driving examiners. 33-year old Jason Buttigieg from Birkirkara and 30-year old Roderick Galea from Marsascala, were conditionally discharged for three years and generally interdicted, meaning that they were supposedly not able to work in any government-owned company.

Minister Mugliett however asked to suspend the decision pending their request for a Presidential pardon. Mr Galea and Mr Buttigieg were in fact only suspended on half pay.

After the motion was defeated, Dr Sant pointed out that Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi reacted very differently to Minister Mugliett's tendered resignation, which was rejected, in comparison to that tendered by former Minister for Finance John Dalli’s. Dr Sant went on to hint that the former Minister's resignation was accepted by the Prime Minister because he was his political rival.

However, the Prime Minister said the MLP was twisting facts to minimise the apparent benefits made manifest through Malta's great strides ahead.

Minister Jesmond Mugliett explained the procedures used to tackle the issues and said that he did not instruct for the officials to be retained and did not pressure the ADT in the regard. He added that through the Attorney General the government appealed against the Court’s ruling on the case, in a bid to push for a harsher sentence.

While the Prime Minister insisted that the MLP was unfairly blasting a Minister who attempted to clamp down on such abuses and presented a motion which did not reflect facts  as they occurred, Dr Sant said that the government has lost all credibility because “anything goes”.  

Earlier this month Dr Sant asked the Speaker of Parliament what proceedings will be taken against Minister Mugliett, stating that his actions amounted “not only to lack of respect towards the Parliament, but also to democracy”.