For a number of reasons, not least her lucrative package, Sai Mizzi Liang, Malta Enterprise’s woman in the East and now also consul general in Shanghai, is a controversial character. The fact that she happens to be the Energy Minister’s wife and how the government handled the matter did not help either.

Should anybody be surprised, therefore, that the press would be interested in her when she makes a rare public appearance? The last time the media had direct access to her was a year ago in China, when she became very emotional and, crying, denied she received a monthly salary of €13,000 and offered to provide documents to prove she earned just over €3,000. The government now admits that Ms Mizzi Liang has a package of €13,000 a month.

Amid this apparent confusion of what she earns and for what and whether she is good value for money, the media covering the launching of a new investment in Malta by Chinese company Huawei last week wanted to put some questions to her.

But Joseph Muscat would have none of that. “I think this is honestly something that we can do when we are in a political meeting. I am willing to answer those sorts of questions. It is not the way to behave in front of our foreign guests (a delegation from a Chinese telecommunications company),” he insisted.

When the journalist asking about Ms Mizzi Liang noted he was only putting a simple question, the Prime Minister replied with a air of arrogance: “It sounds like a stupid question to me.” Evidently, to Dr Muscat such an insulting response is an appropriate way to behave in the presence of “foreign guests”.

Dr Muscat should have known better and acted differently. Journalists have every right to ask questions. In fact it is their duty to do so. The government also has a duty to provide the electorate with information.

He cannot expect to have any control on the media, especially the independent press (though, even as recently as last April, when the hunting referendum result was just out, he had the gall to tell journalists how they should act).

If he wanted to avoid a ‘showdown’ in the presence of “foreign guests” he should first have instructed Ms Mizzi Liang not to be provocative. Being a government functionary, Dr Muscat would have been perfectly in order to give her directions/instructions. It’s worth bearing in mind that it was Ms Mizzi Liang herself who made herself available to the media on this occasion.

This is how she welcomed those present for the ceremony: “Good morning everybody. Now, finally, you’ve found me. You may have read things about me online. Don’t believe everything you’ve read. Here, this is the real me…”

Does that sound like a person trying to ward off the press? Was that introduction meant for local consumption or was it addressed to the “foreign guests” present?

After the ceremony was over, she briefed the media. “I would rather you judge me when I deliver the results, like now, because there is a Chinese saying: it is not important what you say but it is important what you do. Judge me by my results,” Ms Mizzi Liang said.

That is what the media wanted to do. They wanted to find out what sort of investment she is attracting. In English there is also a well known saying: ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ Dr Muscat seems to think that the packaging is more than enough.

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