the announcement that the Malaysian government is keen to release GMMs in areas occupied by humans has raised more questions and concerns than the earlier trial release in uninhabited areas. It has been pointed out that while dengue is a serious problem, there are other effective, safer and less costly alternatives exist to reduce the number of dengue hotspots like the ministry’s Communication for Behavioural Impact programme. What would likely escalate this whole affair into a crisis would be a move to now release GMMs into the open without consulting local residents and keeping in the dark the very people who would be exposed to the creatures.