This is in response to ‘ GM Mosquitoes: Stringent protocols in Place ' in Malaysiakini Nov 9, 2010.

A lot of talk, comments and counter comments have been going on since talk of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMM) to be released to the environment came about a few months ago.

As a rakyat Malaysia, I have huge reservations on the subject and would like answers on a few things. Such as:

There is no talk that GMM is registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA is one of the most stringent agencies in the world when it comes to issues of the environment.

So, is GMM registered with US EPA over its safety issues to the environment, ecosystem and mankind? What the stand of the authorities on this?

Is the GMM science founded by Oxitec, registered with any of the United Kingdom - European Union authority for Control of Pest Safety to the environment and ecosystem?

If the answer is no, then why not? If yes, then it's great. It's one step closer to providing some peace of mind.

If Ministry of Health (MoH) allows the release of GMM without it being registered with US Environmental Protection Agency or UK government agency (Oxitec is after all a UK company), then maybe it should forget about regulating medication and nutritional products that are governed by US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

The Malaysian Pesticide Board should also do away with US EPA & US FDA regulatory guidelines all together for chemicals and allow just about anything to pass through our shores.

The reason we follow US EPA and FDA guidelines is because it makes sense and provides a good filtering process.

So if the science of GMM is not registered or accepted by developed nations, we should seriously consider this move that the Institute of Medical Research seemed so eager to implement - especially to the human population and ecosystem in developing nations.

I do applaud the government for looking for solutions in combatting dengue. However, GMM raises more concerns and has too many questions left unanswered.

World Health Organisation reported that the Americas had more than 890,000 cases of dengue in 2007 alone (just check their website!). Why isn't GMM implemented there? Come to think of it, why not in other parts of Asia that have much, much higher cases of dengue?