Every year during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims in Hong Kong gather at mosques to pray and read the Quran. This year, Ramadan started on April 24 and Muslims had to stay at home to observe Ramadan due to the closure of mosques amid the COVID-19 outbreak. On April 30, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government arranged a chartered flight to take Hong Kong residents stranded in Pakistan back to Hong Kong. Upon arrival, the residents were required to undergo a 14-day compulsory quarantine at the quarantine centre in Chun Yeung Estate. In order to help the Muslims cope with the challenges of observing Ramadan in quarantine, the Police Community Relations Office of Yau Tsim District (PCRO YTDIST) collaborated with the Kowloon Mosque to provide advice to the staff of the quarantine centre and assist in arranging the Quran, Halal food, mattresses and other supplies.

Some residents in quarantine were youth members of Project Gemstone. Launched in 2013, Project Gemstone provides Chinese language programmes and outreach activities to non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) members of Junior Police Call. Qasim, a 17-year-old member of Project Gemstone, visited his relatives in Pakistan earlier and had to undergo quarantine in Chun Yeung Estate upon arrival in Hong Kong. “I was stranded in Pakistan due to the pandemic and later learnt about the chartered flight from the Hong Kong Police. After returning to Hong Kong, the Police and the Civil Aid Service arranged Halal food and the Quran for us. I am very grateful for their assistance,” he said.

The Police also arranged several NEC police officers and volunteers of Project Gemstone to help the residents upon their arrival from Pakistan. Their tasks included picking up the residents at the airport, arranging them to undergo COVID-19 testing, providing translation at the quarantine centre and delivering supplies.

Sergeant Hung Ka-wai of PCRO YTDIST said, “I found my job very meaningful as I could offer a helping hand to the NEC community. This brought me great satisfaction. I hope to instil positive values in NEC youngsters through Project Gemstone, thereby motivating them to contribute to society in future. Over the years, I have developed mutual respect and close friendships with the NEC community.”

The NEC are members of Hong Kong society and the Police’s important partners. The Police will continue to join hands with them in building a harmonious community.

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