Govt Urged To Help With Columbarium Closures

Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka Ki has called on the government to step in to help people who find they have nowhere to store their loved ones' remains because of columbarium closures.

Eleven private columbarium operators face closure after they failed to apply for a licence before the application period expired last week, according to official figures. The other 144 private columbarium owners applied for an operating licence, which is required under new government regulations.

Columbariums operating without a licence will be shut down, sparking concerns about the fate of ashes stored within facilities earmarked for closure.

Speaking on the sidelines of RTHK's city forum on Sunday, Kwok called on the government to help people who needed to find a new resting place for their loved ones.

He said the government should help find temporary homes for any displaced urns, and should also help find a permanent place to store them.

"This is a must for the government, and I urge the government to take steps at this moment to try to contact those relatives of the deceased so that they won’t have any problem when they’re dealing with these private columbarium (operators that are) going to close down," Kwok said.