PETALING JAYA: Every individual can play a role to help Mother Earth, even in a small way, by being a vegetarian, said Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and executive chairman Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun.
He noted how livestock or animal husbandry leads to methane emission, a chemical compound known to contribute to global warming and is considered a greenhouse gas.
In fact, some studies have also found that the food production process from farm to plate account for about 30% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.
It is with this in mind that he has urged more people to stop consuming meat and adopt a vegetarian lifestyle.
“In 30 years’ time, some cities in Malaysia could even disappear due to rising sea levels caused by global warming. Yes, some people think this is a joke, but things are getting serious.
“Of course, there are bigger things that some of us can do to help slow down global warming and heal Mother Earth. But if we all can contribute in small ways by being vegetarian, then it will certainly help.
“If many of us contribute even a little, these contributions will add up to be big in the end,” he said at the Vegan Nite programme on Saturday, which was organised by the Malaysia Veganlife Association (Veganlife).
The programme also saw the official launch of the “Mission 0.07 Plant-Based Diet Awakening Campaign”, which aims to encourage more people to go on a vegetarian diet, based on the belief that eating one such meal a day is equivalent to planting 0.07% of a tree.
Also present were Top Glove chairman and founder Tan Sri Lim Wee Chai, Belgian Ambassador to Malaysia Pascal H. Gregoire and Veganlife co-founders Winston Yoo, Kevin Lai and David Yap.
Tan’s concern for Mother Earth and penchant for healthy living has led him to, among other things, convert and rebrand the Big Apple Restaurant at Berjaya Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur to a vegetarian eatery now known as Berjaya Cafe.
To make it more appealing to customers, the restaurant offers fusion-style dishes rather than just typical vegetarian meals, with food ranging from its signature Vegetarian Nasi Lemak to Vegetarian Rendang Pizza, all below RM20, besides also offering bento set meals.
The rebranded restaurant, which opened on Saturday, is located on the 14th floor of Berjaya Times Square and opens daily from 6.30am to 10pm.
Tan said he had initially wanted to convert the Berjaya Times Square Hotel to a fully vegetarian hotel, but said this was impossible as not all guests prefer such meals during events with banquets.
“The management said if we don’t serve meat, many people would cancel their functions here, and that would lead to a drop in business. So we have to honour that.”
Tan said the hotel does encourage those who book functions at the hotel to try vegetarian meals.
“We will tell them that it costs less than non-vegetarian meals, and that it is healthier for them. And being a vegetarian myself, I believe I am now healthier physically, mentally and spiritually,” he said.
Tan has been a vegetarian for five and a half years since his visit to Taiwan to meet Tzu Chi Foundation founder Master Cheng Yen, who suggested the former adopt an exclusively vegetarian diet.
