“Maybe I just don’t like these formalities and prefer to eat a burger and chips.” That was the leader of the opposition’s excuse for his calculated insult towards the outgoing president.

The prime minister had invited him to a formal dinner at the Auberge de Castille to pay tribute to the former president. Instead of gracefully accepting, the opposition leader went to Sicily. He initially blamed his wife. But then revealed the real reason on national TV – his utter disdain, his untrammelled contempt for the president, the prime minister, the people and his constitutional role.

That wasn’t Bernard Grech. It was Joseph Muscat, in all his asinine partisan pettiness and trademark spitefulness, refusing to attend President Eddie Fenech Adami’s farewell dinner to which he was invited as opposition leader by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

Fast forward just a few years and the man who preferred a burger and chips is filmed at the fanciest dinner on the planet at a ‘billionaire dinner club’ in exclusive Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Muscat was not only caught on camera mingling with a convicted felon, Soviet-born businessman Jacob Arabov, but that clip was used in a promotional video.

The opposition leader who rudely declined the prime minister’s invitation because he prefers burgers and chips is now the poster boy for ‘the billionaire dinner show’.

There was our very own Joseph at the dinner table, as scantily dressed women gyrated to techno music, while he savoured “the culinary journey prepared by billionaire’s executive chef Batuhan Piatti”. And not a burger in sight. Just “a surprising array of dishes from classic northern Italian cuisine with influences of New Asian flavours, a charming encounter between Mediterranean and exotic with a touch of Sardinian local taste – a dining adventure unlike any other”.

Muscat must be the unluckiest person alive. He’s even unluckier than Chris Cardona, who couldn’t even visit a German brothel, the FKK Acapulco, while on an official ministerial trip, without being exposed, in all senses. Now Muscat has been exposed for patronising one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world and he’s featuring in its promotional video.

That video not only exposed Muscat’s falsity about his love of simple fare like burgers and chips but also revealed him mingling with convicted felons. Arabov, sive ‘Jacob the Jeweller’, who was sitting next to Muscat, was found guilty of falsifying records and giving false statements to US authorities. He was accused of conspiring to launder drug profits for the Detroit ‘Black Mafia Family’. Arabov was charged with conspiring to launder $270 million in drug profits.

What is it about Muscat that keeps attracting felons, crooks and money launderers? When Muscat was caught inviting a man suspected of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia to his private birthday party his excuse was that the security services told him to act normally with Fenech so as not to arouse his suspicion.

Acting normally for Muscat meant introducing Fenech to AC Milan boss Paolo Scaroni for a potential energy deal even though he knew Fenech was a cocaine addict and was being investigated over Caruana Galizia’s assassination. What was Muscat’s excuse this time?

“I was merely a guest,” he insisted, referring to his exclusive Sardinian ‘billionaire club’ attendance. He described the convicted felon, Arabov, as “a top entrepreneur”. “We happened to be seated next to each other,” Muscat added, “no further relation with him.” So that’s Muscat’s excuse – “I was merely a guest”.

Why does Joseph Muscat still have a diplomatic passport?- Kevin Cassar

He was also a “guest” at the prime minister’s dinner. But he rudely turned down that invitation, ostensibly because he much prefers burgers and chips to “formalities”.

It seems Muscat’s tastes have been transformed since 2009. He’s no longer a burger and chips man. He’s a caviar, oysters and champagne type now, mingling with millionaire convicts at super exclusive clubs owned by another convict, Flavio Briatore, condemned to prison for fraud and conspiracy. Briatore lived as a fugitive in the Virgin Islands to avoid imprisonment.

Muscat had no problems accepting that invitation – he was “merely a guest”.

But he couldn’t bring himself to do his duty as opposition leader and attend a dinner in honour of the man who restored his country’s democracy, took the nation to its rightful place in Europe and enabled Muscat to take his seat at the European Parliament.

The question the country is asking is why does a man charged with fraud, corruption, criminal association and with a €30 million freezing order still have a diplomatic passport? Why is a man who trawled our country’s name through the muck still travelling around the globe with a Maltese diplomatic passport?

The simple answer is because if Robert Abela took it away from him he’ll keep inciting his mob against Abela, he’ll keep unleashing his attack dog, Neville Gafà, onto him. Muscat cannot afford to lose his diplomatic passport. He couldn’t risk travelling without it.

He knows from his bitter experience in Italy, when his friend and travelling mate, Iosif Galea, was pounced upon, handcuffed and taken into custody by the Italian police, what happens to suspected criminals. Muscat wouldn’t be sure when and where it might happen to him. Countries like the US, Spain and Montenegro may well be interested in his extradition.

Muscat has been treated with kids’ gloves. Anybody else facing the serious crimes Muscat is charged with, would have been brought to court under arrest, he would have had to plead for bail. Instead, Muscat was allowed to organise a circus at his arraignment.

The police commissioner was completely absent from the most important trial in the history of the nation. So is the attorney general. She sends young graduates to face down the whole army of Malta’s top criminal lawyers. This is a David and Goliath contest but David’s been sent without a sling and without a stone.

It’s time Labour and its loyal supporters realise Muscat never liked burgers and chips. It was always caviar and champagne he was after.

It’s time Labour admitted Muscat duped the Labour Party and an entire nation.

Kevin Cassar is a professor of surgery.