People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) Asia has urged the Kajang Prison to establish a vegan meal policy for its inmates, including former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, for the sake of harmony and cost-cutting.
Asserting that prisons which adhere to a vegan diet report calmer populations and major savings while also promoting empathy and non-violence, Peta president Jason Baker said that prisoners, “even Najib”, deserve healthy meals that are “humane”.
“When prisoners eat meat, eggs, and dairy, they’re consuming the pain, fear, and suffering that animals endured on farms and in slaughterhouses.
“The only peaceful meal is a vegan one, and Peta urges Kajang Prison to do everything it can to instil non-violence in its inmates,” Baker said in a statement shared on Peta Asia’s website today.
The post also shared a letter dated today and addressed to Kajang Prison director Sharin Sabtu, with the communication specifically mentioning Najib as part of Peta Asia’s appeal for vegan dishes in the prison.
“With so much violence in the prisoners’ lives, let’s make sure it ends at mealtime.
“Will you please implement a vegan meal policy in Kajang Prison, for (Najib) and other inmates?” Baker requested in the letter.
‘Compassionate dining’
He further argued that Malaysia, with its rich cultural heritage as well as increasing focus on sustainable and healthy living, is “uniquely positioned” to lead correctional reform in the region by prioritising “compassionate dining”.
Stressing that offering vegan meals in Kajang Prison would show the world that “peace is possible even in the hardest places”, Baker affirmed that Peta Asia would be willing to assist the prison in creating balanced vegan menus.
The letter also cited how the Maricopa County Jail in Arizona, US, previously reported a cost reduction of US$273,000 (over RM1 million) when it switched to all-vegetarian food for its 8,000 inmates.
The same statistic was cited in a separate appeal by Peta in October 2020 when the NGO’s co-founder, Ingrid Newkirk, sought that the Metropolitan Detention Center serve vegan meals to Ghislaine Maxwell and other inmates.
Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted in December 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by American businessperson Jeffrey Epstein, with the former found guilty to five of six counts.
In 2020, investigative news outlet Sentient Media quoted researcher and lecturer Christopher Sebastian as saying that Maricopa County’s move to cut meat from inmates’ meals in 2013 caused those incarcerated to “suffer one further hardship”.
Sebastian added that the measure was utilised by the Arizona sheriff to “dehumanise” prisoners.
Seven charges
Najib was convicted in July 2020 on seven charges involving abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering linked to RM42 million in SRC International funds.
The son of Malaysia’s second prime minister began serving his sentence after the Federal Court dismissed all his appeals.
He was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million, but the Pardons Board later reduced it to six years in prison and a RM50 million fine.
While the revised jail term for Najib’s conviction in the SRC International case was scheduled to end by August 2028, he could have been out as early as August this year after including a one-third remission for good behaviour.
However, in December last year, the courts dismissed the former Umno leader’s house arrest bid and convicted him in the 1MDB corruption case, which saw him being sentenced to 15 years in prison. - Mkini
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