Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak at center of PETA’s vegan meal debate

MALAYSIA: PETA has urged Kajang Prison to serve vegan meals to inmates, including former Prime Minister Najib Razak, arguing it would cut costs, improve health, and promote “empathy and non‑violence.” 

The group cited prisons abroad reporting calmer populations and savings after adopting plant‑based diets. Najib, jailed since 2022 over 1MDB corruption, remains a controversial figure, with critics mocking PETA’s timing and questioning its credibility given the past euthanasia of thousands of animals.

Malaysian social media users argue that PETA is out of touch with reality. Many netizens feel there are far more pressing issues to address globally than debating whether prisons should serve vegan meals. The proposal is seen as misplaced, reflecting frustration that such campaigns overlook urgent societal challenges. 

Furthermore, one X user criticised the timing of the proposal, noting it was peculiar for an “animal rights” group to suggest vegan meals in Malaysian prisons just a day before Raya Haji, when cow slaughter is a central religious practice. He went further, alleging the move could be part of a “foreign sinister plot.”

In Malaysia, vegan diets are often perceived as a luxury rather than an accessible option. Another Malaysian online questioned whether serving vegan meals in prisons would actually be more expensive for the government. Typically, such meals are considered speciality items beyond the reach of the masses. While vegetarian diets are more common and affordable, they are not fully vegan. 

Many Malaysians feel PETA’s proposal is less about compassion and more about making prison life harsher. One netizen supported the idea, arguing that prisoners don’t deserve free meals with meat. This sentiment suggests that some agree with the rhetoric, seeing vegan meals not as reform but as punishment. 

Oddly, PETA Asia @PETAAsia responded to the entire commotion with, “Animals don’t choose the violence inflicted on them — we do, every time we choose what’s on our plate. If we want to promote non-violence, the compassionate choice is simple: choose vegan meals that spare animals from fear, suffering, and slaughter. Peace starts with what we eat.” 

Across Southeast Asia, many netizens dismiss PETA’s rhetoric as out of touch and unrealistic. The organisation’s proposals, especially peculiar ones like urging Malaysian prisons to adopt vegan meals, are often met with scepticism and sarcasm. 

For most, such campaigns lack relevance to pressing regional issues, reinforcing the perception that PETA is not taken seriously within broader public discourse.