Malta has appointed controversial former prison chief Alex Dalli as the government's special representative in Libya to handle national security issues including immigration, according to the Times of Malta.

The newspaper quoted Home Minister Byron Camilleri as saying that Dalli will also sit on the Malta-Libya Coordination Center for the fight against illegal migration. Also pointing out that Dalli's appointment was based on his extensive experience in the armed forces. The coordination center was established in July last year after talks between the Libyan and Maltese prime ministers.

Dalli resigned from his prison service on November 7, after an inmate suicide led to an investigation into rising death tolls among prisoners while he was director.

The government said earlier this month that Dalli would not be reinstated.

He was frequently criticized for his unorthodox disciplinary methods, which reportedly included a poster telling officials to "Teach Fear" and a restraint chair to which riotous prisoners were tied. However, he has also been praised for breaking down prison violence, disposing of drugs and overseeing a recruitment drive for rehabilitation specialists.