KMB Open Day at Kowloon Mosque promoting social inclusion

The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. (1933) Ltd. ("KMB") is committed to promoting a compassionate and harmonious culture. On 20 August (Saturday), an Open Day and Employment Seminar was held at the Kowloon Mosque to introduce KMB services to non-Chinese people. Those who were interested in joining KMB could have an on-site interview opportunity. Meanwhile, KMB changed the bus stop name from "Kowloon Park" to "Kowloon Mosque" to highlight the importance of the Kowloon Mosque as a landmark in Hong Kong.

The KMB Open Day was held for the first time at the Kowloon Mosque with the cooperation of The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong. KMB introduced its operations and service, achievements in environmental protection and social caring to non-Chinese people through videos and foam boards from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on 20 August. KMB hopes to communicate more directly with non-Chinese people through the event and build a diverse and inclusive community for Hong Kong.

In the employment seminar, some non-Chinese Bus Captains were invited to share their interview skills and working experience in KMB with the people at the scene. Job information for Bus Captains, Skilled Assistants, and Bus Stop Wardens was provided. KMB also arranged on-site interviews for those who would like to apply for the vacancies. For example, if they apply for Bus Captains, the applicants can proceed to a driving test in Tsim Sha Tsui, providing a one-stop employment service.

Besides, the bus stop outside the main entrance of the Kowloon Mosque will be officially renamed from "Kowloon Park" to "Kowloon Mosque", where twenty-three KMB routes pass through the bus stop. The Bus Stop Announcement System and Passenger Information Panel in the compartments reminding passengers to alight would change to the "Kowloon Mosque" bus stop.

Steve Hui, Administration Director of KMB, described that the KMB Open Day and Employment Seminar held at the Kowloon Mosque was meaningful, "KMB will celebrate its 90^th Anniversary next year. We grew up with Hong Kong people, and non-Chinese people in Hong Kong are also part of Hong Kong. KMB attaches great importance to the culture of inclusion in the workplace and welcomes everyone with different nationalities to join in and to serve Hong Kong citizens." He pointed out that the employment seminars and recruitment activities are all for non-Chinese people in Hong Kong. Apart from hiring more non-Chinese people, he also encourages more corporations to support the employment of non-Chinese people and promote social inclusion.

Mohammad Ilyas, Hon. Secretary of The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong said that many non-Chinese people are born and bred in Hong Kong and have Cantonese communication skills. They are competent for the positions offered by KMB. He also believes that the partnership with KMB has positively promoted social inclusion and benefitted more non-Chinese people in Hong Kong.

Nixie Lam, Member of Legislative Council, said that cooperation among different ethnic groups, especially the inclusion in the workplace, is crucial. She hoped that more local enterprises could provide appropriate employment support for non-Chinese to help them integrate into the local community.

KMB embraces meritocracy and welcomes Hong Kong residents from different ethnicities to join and serve in various positions. KMB also provides a stable working environment with a clear and diverse career path. Non-Chinese people enjoy the same benefits as other full-time staff members, including annual leave, medical benefits, scholarships for children, bus passes for dependents and shopping discounts.

At the service level, KMB actively supports non-Chinese people, including those in Yuen Long, where many Pakistanis and Nepalese live, by translating various bus routes into Urdu and Nepali, providing them with useful information.

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