I read with interest Dato' Musa Nordin's comments supporting the monkey trade ( Export of our monkeys benefits mankind ). One thing missing from the letter is details of the monkey money trail. As former director-general in charge of protecting wildlife, I believe Musa could and should provide this important information.

What are the names of all the companies involved? Who are the officials of these companies? Tell us, Dato' Musa. As former director-general, you surely know. If you were involved in the plans, share your knowledge and stop saying that people outside your "loop" "don't understand the truth". Are you or are you not involved with the export plans? Did they start before or after you left office?

Unfortunately, some animal dealers develop a "sideline" of smuggling orangutans and other rare species. Musa must surely remember the attempts by Danish smuggler Ingemar Forss to set up business in Malaysia, which were foiled by former director-general Mohamed Khan.

We were pleased to read Musa's statement that no monkeys have yet been exported. However, he is mistaken in saying that overseas research facilities will seek out Malaysia's city monkeys. When India participated in the monkey trade, the dealers were assigned forest blocks for their trapping activities. City monkeys were not wanted. Many were infected with tuberculosis and dysentery and other diseases that resulted from their contact with humans. The free-living happy forest monkeys were healthy.

Sadly the US Animal Welfare Act does not protect research monkeys. It is very weak. Inspectors seldom visit any facility more than once a year, if that, because the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is under-funded and under-staffed.

Inspectors are not allowed to inspect the federal laboratories where much of the ghastly biowarfare experimentation is conducted. Further, APHIS can only bring administrative cases. It can't file criminal cases against even the most hideous primate abusers. Tremendous suffering goes on in US laboratories.

Those Malaysians interested in more information about how monkeys suffer in the United States should visit this site .

We salute those caring and compassionate Malaysians working to make sure that the monkeys live free in their homeland.

The writer is chairwoman, International Primate Protection League.