Does anybody knows what is happening in Sarawak? I am deeply disappointed with the way the media is handling the case of hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak. I read the mainstream newspapers, online news websites and watch the TV news almost every day, but I cannot find much detail about the crisis except for some dull photographs and faceless statistics reported by the officials.

The official figure for victims has risen to eight, more than 5,000 children have contracted the disease and it seems the situation is not going to get better anytime soon. How do the families of the victims feel about the loss of their children? Do they have any comment or complaints on the medical treatment provided by the government? How are the rural areas faring in this crisis? Is the government carrying out its duties efficiently?

I believe the people have a right to know and the media, regardless of mainstream or alternative, should at least pay more serious attention to this matter. The mainstream media, in particular, should provide in-depth coverage of a crisis that has forced kindergartens and primary schools to be closed statewide.

Compared to the way the media covers cases of bird flu and dengue outbreaks, it is obvious it has performed badly in covering the crisis of the HFM disease outbreak in Sarawak. The media has totally neglected the voices of the people living in Sarawak in this particular incident.