dunno bout the abuse thing, but i've watch a documentary about topeng monyet once and each trainer have different style of training, not all of them using chain or stuff that'll hurt the monkey. and so far the one that often shows around my neighborhood also nice to his monkey.
by the way i read this article from asianoffbeat.com in title-Monkeys Ride Mini Motorcycles on Thai Streets.
i thought this was not an oddity here in Indonesia, than when i point the source...it is from indonesia. my...my...