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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 JANUARY 2016 16 MaltaToday Survey Inga Boissevain's novel at all leading book shops @ €8.99 JAM ES DEBONO TRAFFIC has remained the top concern of the Maltese, a survey carried out by MaltaToday in the second week of January shows. But the survey also shows a sharp increase in concern about public transport (+7) and cor- ruption (+7). Concern on both issues is the highest registered in MaltaToday soundings held since 2013. Worries about corruption have gone up by seven points compared to August, reaching the highest level ever recorded in MaltaToday surveys. Corruption now emerges as the great- est concern of PN voters and the second most serious concern of university educated voters. While 14% of all respondents mentioned cor- ruption as a top concern (up from seven points in August), the percentage rises to 30% among university educated respondents. Concern on corruption is lowest among Labour voters and those with a primary level of education. The rise in concern on public transport fol- lows the introduction of new routes. The wor- ry on public transport is just two points higher among PN voters. But in an indication that con- cern about public transport rises above parti- san consideration, 14% of PL voters mentioned buses among their two top concerns. Concern on public transport was highest among those with a post secondary level of education. In the survey, 450 respondents contacted by telephone were asked to name the two most serious problems facing the country. Respond- ents were more forthcoming than they were in August in naming problems, with the percent- age of don't knows falling by 17 points. Concern on immigration has risen by two points – a fifth of the Maltese still consider immigration as a major concern despite a lull in migrant arrivals in the past two years. Con- cern on immigration is higher among PL vot- ers, 27.2% of whom mentioned immigration as one of their two top concerns. Concern on immigration was lowest among the university educated. For the first time the survey also registers Islamophobic sentiment, with 3.5% mention- ing Islam or people of Muslim origin as the greatest problem facing the country. Curiously more people were concerned by Islam than they were with health and the economy. The increase in concern about Islam comes in the wake of the Paris attacks and reports of sexual harassment by persons of North African ori- gins in Cologne during New Year festivities. Traffic had already emerged as Malta's top concern in November 2014, when it over- took migration for the first time since 2013. Concern on buses, corruption sees marked increase 23.9% Traffic Immigration Buses Corruption Low income Cost of living Parking Environment Jobs Fuel prices Roads Islam Health Economy Others Don't know 18.9% 14% 13.6% 10 9.8 9.6 7.1 5.6 5.1 3.5 2.2 1.2 2.2 6.1 +0.9 +1.9 +7.4 +6.6 +7 +6.6 +5.6 -2.9 3.7 +3.7 -10.7 +3.5 -1.2 -17.9 -5.7 10 Major concerns (%) Changes since September • Concern on immigration has risen by two points • For the first time ever, 'Islam' is registered as a concern • Traffic and corruption rise by 7 points in list of concerns • Only 1.2% have concern over econommic issues • Concern on environment substantially higher with university-educated • Concern on corruption is lowest among Labour voters and those with pri- mary education