Manuel ‘Tal-Funtana’ Mallia gets in on the action
Jekk taghtini ftit jerry-cans, Marlene, nghid il-mara tieghi biex timlihomlok mil-funtana tal-Belt. Meta kont immur nimxi mal-perit, kien jghidli kif naghmel biex niffranka l-flus.
Manuel Mallia’s words:
Ghandi memorji sbieh tal-Perit Mintoff meta kien jibghat ghalija diversi drabi sabiex immur inkellmu sew id-dar tieghu Hal-tTarxien u anke L-Gharix, kif wkoll bhala mistieden ghall-ikliet tradizzjonali li kien ihobb jaghmel ta spiss. F’dawn l-istanzi spissi gieli anke morna nimxu flimkien fiz-zona preferuta tieghu go Delimara. Skambjajna hafna kliem f’diskursati varji u interessanti fuq hafna suggetti fosthom, legali, politici u storici. Anke meta kont nghidlu illi ma kontx naqbel mieghu fuq certa affarijiet, hu kien itini hafna mir-ragjonament tieghu ghala certa avvenimenti graw b’dak il-mod. Nghozz dawn il-memorji. Malta tilfet statista kbir. Politiku li bhal nies umani ohra ma kienx perfett, izda li kellu ghal qalbu il-gid ta’ pajjizu u tal-Maltin u Ghawdxin. Strieh fis-sliem Perit.
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Is it just me or is this whole situation turning out to be one big farce?
” Politiku li bhal nies umani ohra ma kienx perfett”- Mintoff didn’t make mistakes. He knew exactly what he was doing.
And the terminology! “Nies umani”. As opposed to nies dizumani.
And if it’s merely a case of “ma kienx perfett”, why did we need a change in government after 1987? Hey, why not vote Labour in 2013? I mean Joseph Muscat mhux perfett, u huwa uman ukoll. Let’s give Labour a chance!
Death also had the magical effect of turning Saddam’s atrocities into peccadilloes in the eyes of many, so go figure. Hardly surprised to see this happening in Malta.
No because Labour got the same Mintoff people.
Southern European Catholic ignorance and the Princess Diana effect i.e. everyone who isn’t part of the show is at home watching incredulously and laughing their guts out.
Or just getting on with things until the ruddy circus finally leaves town.
Martyrdom sells. It unifies. It rallies people under a banner. It legitimises to the point of elevating a political battle into a cosmic war of “good” against “evil”. People want to be seen on the side of the rising tide for political expediency – the power that such political positions promise.
Even if we reject Daphne’s earlier posts on the subject, they have shown the religious blindness of belief among a layer of Maltese society.
In retrospect, it seems that Mintoff attacked the Church for a single reason – it had too much power and destroying its power meant that he could step in to replace it. This has happened in other countries and cultures so there is no reason why it shouldn’t happen here.
While I strongly disagree with the way Daphne went about it all (I believe it was overly provocative in attacking the man directly rather than in exposing the errors/horrors of his politics) I find that the comments in reply show that Mintoff has a religious following. And I do not mean ‘religious’ in the metaphorical sense. I mean religion and god – a faith: “Mintoffianity”
I read all these comments and the general trend is the social services aspect (aside from some fanciful words that I learnt and the invocation of God which is thoroughly inconsistent with Mintoff’s manifest position against the Church). I admit that I have little knowledge about the economic development of Malta. I have a gut feeling though that Mintoff didn’t single handedly do it all by himself and that there exist some gross misconceptions. The second general trend is this Mintoffianity and the blasphemy or heresy of Daphne and the Nationalists.
If we set aside Mintoff the material ‘good’ and Mintoff the material ‘bad’ for a moment, what remains is this divisive cult. I also believe that this divisive cult will rear its ugly head in other spheres of social life – racism, for example.
Perhaps, we have been carried away by our emotions: people are sad and extremely angry on both sides. Perhaps, we should step back and look at the frightening implications of such cult following to ask whether it is endemic to Maltese culture. If so, how do we as a country forge ahead to become more moderate? Alternatively, I may be a raving loon.
Interesting to find out from Dr Mallia what he had in mind when he referred to Mintoff’s imperfections.
F’daqqa wahda kullhadd qed jghid li kien ikun mistieden ghall-ikel ghand Mintoff. Kellu xi impjegata issajjarlu ghal hafna nies jaqaw? Anke Joe Debono Grech qal illum li kien imur jiekol hafna ghandu.
Kieku taf kemm hemm nies membri tal-PN li kienu mistednin ghand Mintoff. Tal-biza’. Iggiblek dubji fuq x’ifisser it-terminu “oppozizzjoni” ghalihom.
“Ikliet tradizzjonali”
For Mintoff, a traditional meal would consist of bread and tomato paste or pseudo-cheddar and warm tea from a thermos flask.
A traditional Maltese dish cooked and much loved by Mintoff was “stuffat tal-fekruna”.
It must be why they feel the need to qualify the “ikliet” as “tradizzjonali.” They probably even mean “ikliet ta’ zmien il-Medjuevu, tal-foqra,” where instead of eating the cheese, it was passed around so that everyone could inhale its smell.
Antoine, you forgot the kappar, and a bar of Deserta between the pseudo-cheddar and the tea.
Iva, maruf ghal generozita li kellu Mintoff.
Tant kemm kien generuz li l-kafe fil bottijiet tal pizelli jaghmillulek biex zgur bil kemm tixorbu.
I was a CPO ( close protection officer) of police with him between the 96/99 era. Yes he use to have meals and even us used to have lunch or dinner with him as he used to invite us in. He was nice at time and not that nice at other time but who is perfect
Maryanne, do you know Manwel Mallia at all?
I can bet my last Euro that this is a bunch of bull ! Passeggati ma Mintoff? Yeah right. Min ser imerih – Mintoff telaq issa!
P.S Is “skambjanja” a Maltese word or is it remnant of the days when he pretended to have an Italian accent?
“skambjajna” is a word that he used when he was afraid and ashamed to tell us about his flirting with Mintoff, the “ikliet traddizzjonali” and the long walks with him. Tghid kien iservih ta’ bastun?
As I told Manuel Mallia on Facebook (political circumstances make it, alas, necessary to use such media), he made a career for himself defending criminals so it’s only natural that he should also defend Mintoff.
Well said, bravo!
I seem to recall that at one time he had stated that colour televisions will only be imported ‘over his dead body’. Do we need to start filling in any import licences now?
The only human thing Mintoff did in life is leaving it.
His remains are 99% recyclable, so this is a plus sign.
Manwel looks like Gabbibo of Strcia la Notizia of Canale 5 with those clothes
Prim Ministru kapaci jrid ikollu l-kapacita’ jaqghad il-poplu u mhux jaghmel minn kollox biex jifirdu. Pero’ Mintoff kien bil-kontra.
L-ewwel ma’ kien ghamel sabiex jilhaq kap kien allega li l-kap Laburista ta’ qablu kellu kas ta’ incest, u l-Laburisti emnuh u ghamluh kap tal-Partit Laburista.
Imbaghad lahaq kap u rebah l-ellezzjoni, ghax tghidx x’kien ivvinta dwar Dr. Borg Olivier. Sa hansitra kien jghid li hu barri u kornut.
Bil-barka ta’ Mintoff, fuq kull kazin Laburista kienu jwahhlu ritratti ta’ Dr. Borg Olivier bil-qrun, jew ta’ xi barri u tahtu jiktbu George Borg Olivier.
Meta’ sar Prim Ministru mill-ewwel beda jaghmel hsara u juri kattivita’ u kifrijha kbira ma’ nies li kellhom principji nazzjonalisti.
Dan kien isir permezz ta’ transfers u tkeccijiet vendikattivi lill-impjegati tal-Gvern.
Wara li ghamel certu zmien fil-Gvern beda jivvendika ruhu min-negozzjanti, ghax dawn kienu nazzjonalisti, u kienu huma biss kapaci joholqu ix-xoghol.
Beda jivvendika ruhu mill-Banek. Banek serji telqu jew tkeccew minn Malta.
Kien hawn zewg ahwa li kienu jmexxu Bank u tefaghhom il-habs ghax ma’ accetawx li lill-Mintoff personali jaghtuh parti mill-assi li kellhom.
Il-Mintoffjani u l-Laburisti, Socjalisti jew Progressivi, imisshom jghidu lill-poplu Malti x’sar mill-flus li Malta kienet irceviet tal-hsara li kienet saret fi zmien il-gwerra meta Mintoff kien Prim Ministru.
Mintoff baqa ghaddej bil-vendikazzjonijiet u qatt ma kien kapaci johloq ix-xoghol ghal Maltin hlief il-korpi, fejn kien jibaght liz-zaghzagh taghna ihaffru t-toroq bil-jack hammer jew jaqtghu il-kappar.
Jekk jiftahru bl-Air Malta din kienet kumpanija tal-Laburisti u ma’ kellekx cans tidhol tahdem hemm jekk ma’ tkunx xi bazuzzlu ta’ Mintoff. U fil-fatt dejjem kienet falluta ghax it-tmexxija kienet Mintoffjana, injoranta, medjokri u bazzwijja.
Mintoff kien dejjem mohhu biex johloq il-firda fost il-Maltin u mohhu dejjem kien jahseb kif se jivvinta biex jahqar u jsawwat lin-Nazzjonalisti.
Zvilupp fil-pajjiz qatt ma’ sar anzi kien mohhu biex jorganizza Pulizija li kapaci issawwat lin-nazzjonalisti biex min ghalih ibezgha lil-poplu.
Dejjem dawwar lilu n-nifsu b’nies kriminali li kienu kapaci jsawtu lin-nies, u dawn kienu proteguti mill-Pulizija Mintoffjana.
Baqa baqa sakemm holoq Pulizija tar-regim li kienu jsawtu u anke joqtlu n-nies gewwa il-kwartieri tal-Pulizija stess.
Demokrazzija ma’ kennitx tezizsi u jekk jigi xi barrani jitkellem dwar id-demokrazzija kien jarrestah. Anqas lill-Qorti ma’ kienx jikkarkulha jekk din kienet tiehu xi decizzjoni li ma’ toghgbux.
Jekk xi hadd jaghmel strajk kien jigi msawwat, bhal-ma’ gara fuq l’ghalliema u it-tobba u sahansitra l-istudenti meta kienu jipprotestaw biex ikomplu jistudjaw gewwa Malta.
Kisser l-Universita’, honoq l-edukazzjoni, ma’ riedx il-kompjuter. Dak kellu vizjoni ghal futur!!
Dan huwa ftit mill-martirju li Malta ghaddiet fiz-zmien Mintoff.
Lil min l-ahhaq warajh bhala Prim Ministru kien ghar minnhu. U Alla hares ikollna xi Prim Ministru iehor bhalu.
Mintoff kien kapaci biss biex jifred lil poplu Malti u jhalli lill-Laburisti jorganizzaw il-korruzzjoni. Ghax il-korruzzjoni kienet istutjonalizzata.
Joseph Muscat ghalhekk ibezzaghni ghax bla dubju jimxi fuq il-passi ta’ Mintoff ghax skond kif jitkellem dan Joseph ghalih huwa is-salvatur meta il-Kap ta’ qablu kien qallu li hu traditur.
Best analysis so far Riya. Mintoff in a nutshell.
The hypocrisy of man knows no bounds!
This is one of the best analysis I have read. Mintoff in a nutshell. It was like reliving my teens and twenties. Could someone please translate it into English so it is understood by many more?
Prosit Riya – You depicted the man and the times in their true perspective for all to remember and shudder
These people get all outrages if someone so much as dares offend their sensibilities by saying that Mintoff was not what all they make him out to be.
Yet they have no qualms in offending those of us who suffered under Mintoff by dismissing the gross abuses that happened under his benign gaze with phrases like “kien uman”, “kulhadd jizbalja”, “hadd m’hu perfett”.
Nahseb li l-20 ta’ Awissu kienet gurnata li anki l-Partit Laburista ha pjacir biha ghax serrah rasu li l-Kap li dejjem gawda rispett u image fi hdan il-partit heles minnu u zgur mhux ser jaghtih aktar inkwiet.
Pero kellhom l-ardita li minn funeral jaghmlu kampanja politika biex jitfu il-bzar f-ghajnejn il-Mintoffjani u jipruvaw jergaw jirbhuhom lura.
Ghalhekk dan il-funeral bombastiku u ciniku min naha tal-PL.
Hell is a luxery for you and your type. At least we know for sure that in Malta there is one person who is an atheist because in all religious denominations all Gods demand piety, forgiveness and respect for the dead and all despise and condemn hatred.
I just wonder where the church authorities are to condemn this type of hatred, if the church really has at heart Jesus’s teachings. How does the church expects respect and understanding especially from the younger generation who already have huge problems of faith. Leaders of the church wake up and stand to be counted. But if Daphne is really atheist let her have the guts and say it.
Il-PL m’ghandux ghalfejn jinqeda bil-mewt u l’funeral ta’ Mintoff biex jerbah il voti – J.Borg
Bizzejjed li tkun ghex f’dal pajjiz ghal dawn l’ahhar 5 snin biex tbiddel il-fehema…u jekk tkun ghamilt zball darba…tahlef li ma tergax tghamlu…u tivvota labour next time.
Nixtieq naghmillek mistoqsija, Prijola.
Nixtieq inkun naf fl-elezzjoni tal-1987 lil min int ivvutajt?
Zgur kellek ghalfejn tivvota lil Partit Nazzjonalista bl-argument tieghek ghax f’dawn l-ahhar 5 snin ma sarux prinjolati daqs kemm saru bejn 1982 u l-1987.
Hemm kellek taghmel halfa li QATT aktar ma tivvota Labour. Specjalment meta tara li l-istess nies ghadhom ihufu b’karigi importanti fil-partit.
L istess haga tista tghid ghal pn mr borg! Hemm wisq nies li trid tinqatalhom iz zejza kif jghid il malti. Ilhom ipappuha wisq u l korruzzjoni ta min jaf jghattiha ilha tirrenja wisq!
Has Dr. Mallia been drinking the water from the fountain?
That water must be pretty dangerous on the mind.
And he was buddy buddy with Guido Demarco. Bloody hypocrite u doppja faccja that;s what he is.
Haga ohra li xtaqt nistaqsik hi ghala Dr. Muscat f’dawn is-snin li ilu kap tal-partit qatt ma talbu skuza ufficjali lil Perit talli gie msejjah TRADITUR mill partit tieghu?
Ghax zgur li kienet l-akbar ugiegh li qatt hass il-Perit meta gie msejjah traditur mill-partit tieghu stess. Jista jkun int ukoll dak iz-zmien meta waqqa lil gvern ta’ Dr. Alf. Sant kont isejjahlu hekk. Ir-rispett fil-hajja trid turih.