Over 600 million animals are slaughtered every year in Malaysia for food, prompting an animal rights activist to promote vegetarianism in Kuala Lumpur today.

NONE Ashley Fruno, a senior campaigner for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), along with volunteers Farith Rezza and Malte Schwarzer, took the campaign to the intersection of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Fully covered in green body-paint and scantily dressed, they held up signs that read, ‘Eat Green! Go Vegan!’ and passed pamphlets to onlookers in the sweltering heat.

“We have been to Australia and the Philippines so far and next, we are heading to Indonesia and Thailand,” Fruno told Malaysiakini .

NONE “Today it is just about drawing people’s attention to the issue and encouraging them if they care about the environment to please ‘go vegan’.

“People are surprised to see us out here today but I think they are also receptive towards the message. Many are asking questions on how animals are treated in factories and farms.”

Several people showed interest in the campaign and were seen questioning the activists on why they should become vegetarians.

The internationally renowned rights group has often been involved in scuffles with the authorities in other countries for staging unauthorised protests.

However, no police were in sight today and they ended their demonstration within an hour.

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