Employees at Transport Malta are facing sustained pressure to change their registered residential address in a bid to influence voting patterns in favour of Transport Minister Chris Bonett, multiple sources have told The Shift.
Several employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they have been approached by political canvassers linked to Bonett, including senior officials within the authority, urging them to transfer their ID card address to localities within the minister’s electoral district.
According to the same sources, these intermediaries are offering to handle the address change process on behalf of the individuals, without requiring them to appear in person at the offices of Identità in Blata l-Bajda.
The alleged effort comes as Bonett faces mounting pressure on his re-election bid. Internal party polling indicates he is trailing behind rivals in the fourth electoral district – traditionally a Labour stronghold – and risks losing his parliamentary seat. Among those reportedly outperforming him are former minister Chris Fearne, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri.
Under established procedures, individuals wishing to change their registered address must personally visit Identità offices and present documentation proving residence at the new address, such as a lease or purchase agreement. However, sources claim enforcement is weak, with limited verification of submitted documents.
In previous elections, multiple voters were found to be registered at the same address, including instances where large numbers of individuals declared residence in garages or basement properties. No action was ever taken on these false addresses.
A change in registered address automatically results in the issuance of a new voting document, allowing individuals to vote in a different electoral district.
Transport Malta sources claimed that Bonett’s canvassers are offering to bypass even these minimal requirements by arranging address changes without the individual’s presence or supporting documentation.
“This is completely illegal,” one source said, “yet it is being allowed to happen.”
Responsibility for oversight falls under Identità, currently led by CEO Edric Zahra, a former Armed Forces officer close to Mark Mallia, also a former AFM officer and now Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Transport Malta’s workforce has expanded significantly in recent years, growing from around 300 employees in 2013 to approximately 1,000 today. Many of these recruits were engaged through political channels.
The Authority is led by CEO Kurt Farrugia, who was previously spokesperson for disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat. Farrugia is currently understood to be involved in the Labour Party’s electoral campaign and is not regularly present at his Transport Malta office. He is paid €12,500 a month from state coffers.
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mhux ahjar taraw xqed jigri go sportmalta?
The shift please investigate other government departments to unveil more of this.
It is only thanks to you that we get to know the level of manipulation that is happening from the government to win the election.
Nonetheless, I think that these matters should be investigated, and if enough evidence is found, prosecuted. These kinds of acts threaten the skeleton of democracy.
Għaliex in-nies jaċċettaw din il-korruzzjoni? Għaliex dawn il-kriminali qatt ma jiġu pproċessati u mressqa l-ħabs fejn jappartjenu? Kif in-nies huma daqshekk faċilment manipulati u/jew jaċċettaw din l-imġiba kriminali ċara u sfacciata?
Għaliex il-istampa nazzjonali rari, jekk qatt, tirrapporta dwar dawn il-każijiet? Min hu l-biża’ ta’ kulħadd? Verament ma nifhimx għaliex in-nies ma jqumux u jgħidu biżżejjed hu biżżejjed.
Ghax dal gvern kien bravu bizzejjed biex jaghraf min xiex ibati dal poplu w hadem fuqha! Dal poplu ma jinteressahx mil korruzzjoni, li l gifa ta poplu qed jintehdulu miljuni ta flus min fuq daru li sejrin ghal dawn il-kriminali. Dal poplu m ghadux jinteressah mil pajjiz u min sahtu, ferhan u kuntent (mhux l kaz ghax kullhadd indannat) li l gvern hallih liberu jaghmel l irid u busy u meghdi bil-kantun u f xi waqt jistenna w jircievi xi laghqa!! Hekk sar kullhadd u ghalhekk l labour success!!
dejà vû !
Refrain:
“Anything You Can Do , I Can Do Better”!
KORRUZZJONI kull fejn tara u tmiss
“This is completely illegal,” one source said, “yet it is being allowed to happen.”
This has been the norm at TM, in recent years, under the mediocre leadership of lackeys such as Ms. Zerafa and her ilk! TM has tragically been turned into a Labour Party club.
So Edric Zahra , ex army officer , supposedly trained to obey ONLY LEGAL ORDERS, changed the address of the Qormi voters to a Siggiewi address that was non residential , because a minister ordered him to? Is this the Illegality Identita Malta has become? What is happening in Identita Malta to massage these coming elections? Dublicate voting with fake ID issued on empty flats?
Ghogbu x-xoghol. !!