Malcolm Mallia, one of the developers behind a construction site right next to a recently collapsed residence in Santa Venera, is also a council member of Malta’s Developers Association, Lovin Malta can reveal.

Mallia was the main applicant of the site for development consortium, MCZMC Developers Limited.

The company is also made up of Matthias Mallia, Elton Joseph Caruana, Amanda Muscat, Christopher Zarb, Simon Zarb, and the construction site’s architect Roderick Camilleri.

The residence, which collapsed at around 2:15 pm earlier today, is located right behind the construction site. It is believed that a woman might still be inside. MDA Head Sandro Chetcuti is currently on-site. He is yet to give a comment to be media.

It cannot be confirmed whether the adjacent construction site has anything to do with the collapse. However, it is the latest in a line of collapsed apartments on the island.

Mallia declined to comment, telling Lovin Malta that his focus was on saving people who might be trapped underneath the rubble.

The development was approved by the Planning Authority on 9th July 2019, just weeks after a series of apartment blocks collapsed in Gwardamanġa, Mellieħa, and Pieta.

Despite reform, victims in the collapse are still homeless.

The crisis prompted the government to introduce stronger laws to regulate the construction industry pledging robust enforcement. More reforms are set to take place with a register set to be launched.

However, it seems that the latest case raises questions on whether safety issues are yet to be adequately addressed by the new laws.