Vegetarianism fever sweeps across the island of Batam

By Fadli

BATAM, Riau (JP): There is a new trend sweeping Batam that people believe enhances the body's resistance to illness: consumption of what the U.S. Department of Health calls the "New Four Food Groups", without any intake of animal-based calories.

The four food groups are cereals, vegetables, beans and fruits, as announced by the department in 1991. And an increasing number of people have become interested in this nonmeat regimen.

On the island of Batam, for instance, vegetarianism has become popular among the some 40,000 Buddhists, particularly those of Chinese descent, with various vihara (shrines) serving as centers of socialization for this lifestyle.

Jowly Johanes Yao, the daily coordinator of the Batam branch of the Indonesian Maitreya Vegetarian Community (KVMI), recently revealed that the vegetable-based diet was winning the hearts of young people. At least half of KVMI-Batam's some 1,000 members are below the age of 26.

"Young people apparently are beginning to realize the need for healthy living without consuming meat," said Jowly. KVMI-Batam has grown into a kind of vegetarian club, with Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya as its headquarters.

Jowly explained that vegetarianism was spread among Buddhists in accordance with Buddhist scriptures, and among the lay public through different means such as seminars.

Set up in 1998, KVMI-Batam was started by several religious and social activists, including Buddhist monk Wirya Chandra, Sugianto and Jowly. Its secretariat is located in the vegetarian restaurant in Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya (MVDM), located in Bukit Beruntung, Sei Panas, Batam.

Exhibitions are one of the activities KVMI-Batam is involved with in its bid to spread the news about healthy eating.

KVMI-Batam is affiliated with the Netherlands-based International Vegetarian Union (IVU). It plans to establish a Southeast Asian vegetarian network, which will cooperate and exchange information on this subject.

"We want to be part of the existing union instead of forming a counterorganization, so as to further intensify the ongoing communications," Jowly asserted.

Ten restaurants

According to Jowly, it's hard to start a vegetarian lifestyle. A vegetarian since 1991, Jowly said if one was ready to strictly observe the regimen and was psychologically aware of its benefit, this lifestyle would pose no problems.

There are three categories of vegetarians: lacto-ovo, comprising those who eat no meat but still consume milk and eggs; lacto, with milk retained in their diet; and pure vegetarians, or vegans, who only consume vegetables, cereals and fruits.

Jowly pointed out a trick for those following the vegetarian lifestyle, i.e. eating nonmeat food modified in such a way that it resembles meat or fish. Such food uses synthetic materials, which of course are more expensive than natural vegetables because they are imported from such places as Taiwan and Singapore.

"Entering the second year, one will be able to avoid the artificial food, as eating too much synthetic stuff is not good for one's health," he said.

In Batam, it is easier to obtain vegetarian food than in other regions. There are 10 vegetarian restaurants located in strategic areas of the island. These restaurants are registered with KVMI, which serves as a source of information for interested parties.

"KVMI stickers can be found in all restaurants we have listed, and they provide special discounts for KVMI members," said Jowly.

He also dismissed the idea that vegetarianism was commercially motivated by restaurant operators, through seminars or studies they cater. "In fact, we have nothing to do in terms of business with restaurants," he added.

The Buddhist vegetarian teachings in Batam come from the school of Maitreya, but all Buddhists of different schools are required to practice this food regimen upon entering the Chinese new year -- on the first and 15th days.

Not all the 1,000 members of KVMI-Batam are Buddhists or Indonesians of Chinese descent. There are members from various religions and ethnic and racial backgrounds.

In Jowly's view, the club will continue to grow as the public becomes more aware of the benefits of vegetarianism, and as the technology affecting this lifestyle progresses.

"Philosophically, all living beings have the same right lo live and are not allowed to kill each other. KVMI-Batam holds weekly meetings at MVDM to promote the club's understanding of vegetarianism, with the meetings ending with nonmeat meals," he concluded.

Indahwaty, 26, a vegetarian since 1997, said she stopped eating meat after visiting countries like Taiwan and Singapore.

She recalled that it was difficult at first to eat only nonmeat food while having to maintain her health and stamina.

"By following this vegetarian diet, I've found myself more focused on my work and more able to control my emotions," she said.

The graduate of Dharma Agung University in Medan cautioned that some of those practicing vegetarianism only had certain goals in mind, which should not be the case. "It's my belief that this practice is a religious duty," she claimed.

As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, Indahwaty added that she found her modified vegetarian diet sufficient and had grown accustomed to it.