Labour MPs on Friday criticised PN MP Claudio Grech for comparing the Marsa open centre from a scene from the film "Planet of the Apes".

"Go to the Marsa open centre. If you do, you would think you were in a scene from Planet of the Apes," Mr Grech said during an interview aired Thursday on Net television.

The PN MP later apologised for his comments saying it was "an unfortunate use of words". He only meant to describe the poor living conditions of those living in the area, he said.

"The people who still live in the open centre face the most inhuman living conditions possible, clearly pushing them to find alternative means of residence, only to be exploited once again by ruthless landlords," Mr Grech said.

Watch: 120 migrants found living in "inhumane" conditions

Speaking during a Parliamentary debate on the budget for the Home Affairs Ministry, Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield said Mr Grech’s comments were "disgusting".

"There are these almost xenophobic statements about foreigners coming to Malta," Mr Bedingfield said.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia leveled similar criticism. "These [migrants living in the open centre] are not social rejects - and neither are they monkeys," Dr Farrugia said.

The Opposition wanted to talk about “intelligent immigrants”, but we needed to be careful not to introduce ideas of xenophobia, he warned.

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