I read a media report in which Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying that the Sepang F1 circuit was getting 'shabby' from lack of care just hours before yesterday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

'It has become, if you don't mind, like an old house that needs a bit of redecorating,' the report quoted him as saying in an interview. 'It's starting to get a little shabby and looks a bit tired'.

Ecclestone, however, acknowledged that it was difficult to keep Sepang tidy because of its large 260-hectare size but said the circuit had to put its best face forward.

'The circuit itself is fine, it's the general structure around,' he said. 'There is rubbish all over the place and it's not really a good sign for Malaysia. We're on worldwide television and it needs to look good, much like in the beginning'.

I cannot help but attest that every Malaysian project starts well but finishes poorly. There is a lack of a maintenance culture and as the PM himself has said, we have a 'first class infrastructure with a Third World mentality'. I believe this is all due to the vultures who receive government projects then sub-contract them out at half the allocation.

Some examples include the KLIA which in my opinion looks drab and dingy. The arrival hall and taxi stands are dark adding to the gloom. Taman Negara, which was once the showcase for Malaysian eco-tourism is today in a sorry state with little money for maintenance.

Five-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur look like they have not been maintained for decades. The roads and the highways always look sooty with signboards that are greyed out. The bridges have moss on them and do not look new at all.

I presume we are so used to living this way that we expect the world to feel comfortable with the tired, old and worn-out look we portray in all our public infrastructure.

It is a shame. This being Visit Malaysia Year 2007, it is such a shame to see that little has been done to spruce up the country. Bernie Ecclestone's observation could not be more accurate and true of all our public amenities.