KUALA LUMPUR: The two Malaysian women detained on money-laundering and drug trafficking charges in Malta are well, said the country’s honorary consul in Malaysia, Paul V. Galea

“I’m pleased to inform the Malaysian public that although the trial date has not been fixed yet, both the women are in good health and are being well treated under the Maltese legal system,” he told Bernama in an interview.

Galea said that during his visit to the island nation in early March, he took the opportunity to visit the two and enquired about their welfare. He added the guards at the detention centre told him the two women were co-operative and did not create any problems

The two women also told him the guards were helpful and treated them well. The women were arrested separately in the Mediterranean island last year. The interests of the two women was being looked after by the Malaysian embassy in Tripoli, Libya. Malaysia’s ambassador to Libya is also accredited to Malta.

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Thursday May 14, 2009

PETALING JAYA: Malta hopes that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) it is hosting next month will increase tourism and investments from Malaysia.

Honorary Consul Paul Vincent Galea said only a few young Malaysians knew about his country although both shared some common heritage.

The summit is ideal to promote Malta to Malaysians because you will have the opportunity to see what our country has to offer tourists and investors,” he said yesterday.

Galea: "Malta has one of the busiest free ports in the Mediterranean"

CHOGM heads of state including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi are expected to attend the meeting in Malta's capital Valletta from Nov 23 to Nov 25 The summit's theme this year is Networking the Commonwealth for Development.

Galea said Malaysia, which currently chaired the Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation of Islamic Conference and Asean, played an important part in the summit.

Malta is also a European Community member so there will be many representatives from the European Union who will take the opportunity to meet their counterparts from the Commonwealth countries,” he said.

Galea said Malta had always been at the crossroads of civilisations because of its location in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Like Malaysia, Malta was a former British colony and the Arabs had influenced its culture.

“Malta is also a European Community member so there will be many representatives from the European Union who will take the opportunity to meet their counterparts from the Commonwealth countries,” he said.

Galea said Malta had always been at the crossroads of civilisations because of its location in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Like Malaysia, Malta was a former British colony and the Arabs had influenced its culture.

“The rich culture of the people and archaeological and historical sites dating back to 4,000BC make Malta an important place to visit for tourists interested in European history,” he said.

For investors, Galea said, Malta possessed a developed infrastructure and an educated English-speaking workforce.

He said the country provided incentives for foreign investors, had a liberal tax scheme and had one of the busiest free ports in the Mediterranean.

Monday October 17, 2005

KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 (Bernama) — The two Malaysian women facing drug trafficking charges in Malta will receive a fair trial, the country's honorary consul in Malaysia Paul Vincent Galea says.

The “I am sure they will get a fair trial. I don't think they need to worry as they will be treated well. According to Malta's laws you are innocent unless proven guilty,” he told Bernama.

The women — Dayang Sakienah Mat Lazim, 20, from Bukit Payung, Terengganu, and Azura Maizura Alias, 21, from Pulau Pangkor, Perak, were arrested separately in the Mediterranean island in March.

Their cases will be heard in court on May 5.

Galea said Malta had a transparent judiciary system and its laws were based on Roman laws as well some French laws. According to Amnesty International, Malta abolished death penalty for all crimes in 2000.

Galea also said there should not be much problem in getting halal food as there were Muslim communities in Malta. Statistics show there are some 3,000 Muslims living in Malta.

“I don't think there is a language problem as well. Being a Commonwealth country, English is widely spoken,” he said and added that Maltese and English were the official languages there.

About Malaysians visiting Malta which is a small and densely populated island nation of some 400,000 people, Galea said only a very small number of Malaysians tourists going there, mostly by cruise ships.

Currently, Malaysia's ambassador to Libya is also accredited to Malta.

— BERNAMA

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May 02, 2008 19:46 PM