Three men bound and beat Labour MP and surgeon Anthony Zammit at his residence in Żebbuġ in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The assailants were hooded and armed and, after tying down and beating Mr Zammit, they ransacked the house, stealing a substantial amount of money, the police said.

Mr Zammit's friend, Philip Schembri, recounted how the surgeon had only been asleep for a few minutes when he felt the men's presence in the room.

While beating him, they demanded that Mr Zammit hand over €10,000. They tied his hands and gagged him using his ties and bound his feet with the electric cable of a lampshade, Mr Schembri added.

Mr Zammit gave them the cash he had in his wallet and his mobile phone but the men went on to ransack his house. The robbers had a stolen car parked nearby as a getaway vehicle but, when the engine failed to start, the men made a run for it.

A policeman walking through Pjazza San Filep was stopped by residents and he accompanied them back to the house to assist the victim, the police said.

The Medical Association of Malta expressed disgust over the violent assault on their colleague. It offered its support and solidarity and said that, while wishing Mr Zammit a speedy recovery, it hoped that the police will apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.

The Malta Labour Party, the Nationalist Party and the Żebbuġ local council also extended their support to Mr Zammit.

Mr Zammit's public profile was significantly raised when he operated on then Opposition Leader Alfred Sant last December, removing a malignant tumor from his colon.