I note with interest that the 10th OIC summit will be a fitting finale for Dr Mahathir Mohamad in light of his retirement.

Among the many useless and ineffective organisation that has mushroomed around the world, OIC takes the cake.

The majority of its members are either dictators or have not held elections for years. Many imprison citizens and political opponents without just cause. They also lavish tons of money on silly mega-projects or pander to the whims of leaders, while citizens suffer from economic problems.

It is a fitting tribute to Mahathir because Malaysia is spending a huge amount of money on organising the conference, when anything that comes out of it will be as useful as sand to the Arabs.

While I will be the first to admit that Dr M has done many good things for this country, he has also watched over an era of utter waste of public funds, getting involved in useless projects and generally creating much inconvenience in the name of national pride. OIC is all of this.

What is the purpose of building a state-of-the-art convention centre in Putrajaya when Kuala Lumpur residents still have to put up with road closures - since many of the self-styled dignitaries are staying in the city?

What is the purpose of re-tarring Jalan Mahameru, which was already in tip-top condition, when stretches along Jalan Pahang, many roads in Petaling Jaya, Ampang, Setapak and Gombak are full of potholes?

What is the point of beautification of hill slopes facing Parliament House when many sites in KL are so run down that even beggars avoid them?

What is the point in spending RM500,000 each on luxury buses for foreigners when our public transportation system is in such decay? Why should I pay so that these foreign so-called dignitaries can have a free holiday in my country?

What is the point of supplying BMWs and Mercedes, which were imported duty-free, to ferry these dignitaries around when I have to pay so much to own even a locally-made car?

There are 8,000 police and army personnel guarding these foreignerst when Bangsar, Petaling Jaya and the area in front of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital is populated by snatch thieves.

So, this is why I think the OIC sums up the legacy of Dr M's leadership in a nutshell. It is all about form over substance, sound bites over deed and appearance over reality.

Happy retirement, Dr M.