Jason Azzopardi has condemned what he described as “a serious threat” made by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia that police officers would be disciplined for leaking information.

The Opposition Home Affairs spokesman said the minister’s parliamentary declaration went against the spirit of the Whistleblowers’ Act.

“The government’s mask has dropped,” he said.

In Parliament last Tuesday, Dr Mallia warned that disciplinary action would be taken against police officers who divulged information they became privy to as a result of their duty.

Government’s mask has dropped

Speaking yesterday outside Parliament, Dr Azzopardi questioned whether this behaviour gave police officers the confidence to uncover abuse.

“How is it possible for any official to report abuse with such a threat hanging on his head?”

Dr Azzopardi said this was the worst form of bullying tactics that took the country back to the 1980s.

He also condemned Dr Mallia’s recent outburst against a Times of Malta journalist, who asked about pending inquiries during the opening of a mobile police station in Marsascala.

Dr Mallia took umbrage at the questions put to him, asking the journalist with whom he worked before joining the newspaper. “This is intimidatory behaviour,” Dr Azzopardi said.

PN candidate Alessia Psaila Zammit said any minister who had confidence that institutions which reported to him were transparent and had the necessary safeguards against abuse did not need to resort to such tactics, unless he was aware of wrongdoings.