The World Of Tzu Chi December 2019 (Vol.117)

16 eature 2019 • 12 D r Jasmine E. Khairat’s love for animals has been deeply ingrained since young. At 16, she spent two months volunteering at Zoo Negara during the school holidays, cleaning the animal enclosures and feeding the animals. Her ambition was to become a vet, but unavoidable circumstances led her to pursue microbiology and virology in university instead. She is also a vegetarian. Dr Jasmine is currently serving as a senior lecturer at the Institute of Biological Sciences of Universiti Malaya, specializing in microbiology. In the earlier days of her research pursuits, she conducted experiments on avian influenza that required her to sacrifice live chickens. The symptoms exhibited by chickens infected with the virus unsettled her. “The infected chickens were shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t walk properly. They also started losing their feathers and appetite. It was devastating to see. I understood that the research was for the greater good, but eventually I couldn’t do it anymore,” she admitted. The discomfiting realization marked the end of her work on animals and her decision to embrace vegetarianism in 2013. Her sympathy for animals was further fuelled by the documentary Earthlings , which opened her eyes to mankind’s exploitation of animals for economic purposes. She was startled by scenes in the documentary that depicted the distressing treatment of livestock in farms, slaughterhouses and meat factories, as well as the resource-intensive nature of animal husbandry. From novice vegan to staunch vegetarian Making the change to vegetarianism was no walk in the park for the 32-year-old Kuala Lumpur native. “That was the hardest time of my life!” she exclaimed in jest, recalling her first steps towards a vegetarian lifestyle that began with attempting Meatless Mondays, thriving on salads and giving up her favourite fried chicken. She stopped dining out and distanced herself from her family during mealtimes to avoid sharing the meat-based dishes on the table. She even challenged herself to a purely vegan diet by abstaining from eggs and dairy products – a stark contrast to her previous diet that consisted mainly of poultry and eggs for a protein boost to complement her workout regime as she used to frequent the gym. Nevertheless, she managed to overcome her initial struggles and gained a better understanding of vegetarianism through her own research on healthy meal plans for vegetarians, eventually settling on a vegetarian diet that suits her needs. Her supportive family was receptive Daring to be di erent Experimenting on animals is a common aspect of laboratory work. As an academician specializing in microbiology and virology, Dr Jasmine E. Khairat was once torn between her love for animals and the practice of sacrificing live chickens for her research projects. She eventually decided to follow her heart and let compassion take the lead. By Chan Shi Yih