The direct broadcast of Parliamentary sittings online and on TV has become a real game-changer in Maltese politics. The first taste of the Maltese counterpart to Prime Minister’s question time from the House of Commons is, so many say, attracting many to watch the fray.

At the beginning, when MPs were still getting used to the new building, they took some time to get used to the idea they were being seen and all sorts of things that used to happen in the old Parliament began to shock people who were unused to the idea that MPs would, for instance, chat and speak with no concern to the speaker or the Speaker.

This is still there, and at times tends to get out of hand, but generally MPs seem to have got used to the idea they were being watched.

But we still have flare-ups in the House and they can be bad and look worse on TV, especially when the big boys get involved.

In particular, it would seem, the new technology has yet to be mastered by the prime minister.

He probably has no idea what a sorry spectacle he presented when he tore into Opposition MP Claudette Buttigieg because she had the temerity to ask Minister Konrad Mizzi about his wife.

With a voice hoarse with anger, Dr Muscat turned on her and reminded her of the time she worked with Super One for around the same sum of money that Ms Mizzi gets every month.

For this, Dr Muscat was roundly applauded by his side while one could see Ms Buttigieg staring white-faced ahead of her.

It is not the words that were used, nor even the tone of the voice, but the very visible anger on Dr Muscat’s face as he replied in that manner.

Maybe it is being at the top of the government, maybe with so many problems coming up, maybe it’s the summer heat – whatever, Dr Muscat really and truly lost it.

Malta is a Mediterranean country and one would not expect parliamentary sittings to be as cool and ironic as the House of Commons cut and thrust at PM Question Time. But a leader that loses it is a sign of trouble ahead.

What takes place at private meetings, with the doors closed, with the cameras off, must be kept private. If such a behavior is shown in public the impact on the fabric of society is huge and possibly irriversible.

For one thing, such a leader with poor self-control easily lays himself open to baiting and there will always be some bright guy from the Opposition benches who would learn that there are some sure ways to wind the prime minister up who will predictably make a spectacle of himself.