The Hospital Authority was urged on Monday to be more flexible with families who need morgues to preserve the remains of their loved ones for an extended period of time.

The call came after the authority had announced over the weekend that bodies could be kept at its mortuaries without incurring any fees for up to 28 days – up from the three days originally proposed.

That, the authority estimated, meant families would be burdened with meeting mortuary costs only less than 10 percent of the time.

DAB lawmaker Edward Lau told an RTHK programme he welcomed the move, but said the authority should also consider personal circumstances and difficulties if families needed their services for longer periods.

"I think they could reach out to the families to find out the reasons – whether there's anything they can do to help, or why the remains need to be kept for so long," he said.

"Beyond just charging fees, they should show some care and see if any assistance is needed. Personally, I believe that when it comes to handling the affairs of the deceased, most people would want to take care of them as quickly as possible."

He noted that families of the deceased often have to run between different authorities – including the Hospital Authority, the Immigration Department, and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department – to tie up matters for the deceased.

He called on the government to set up a one-stop platform to ease the burden on families, especially given that they are going through an emotionally trying period.

Cheng Chi-kit, chairman of the Funeral Business Association, echoed Lau's views.

Families, he said, currently have only a 15-day window to book cremation services online with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and some applicants may struggle to secure a slot.

"Right now it's like scrambling for concert tickets – whoever clicks fastest gets a slot; if you can't keep up, you miss out," Cheng said.

"Without a crematorium booking, the whole funeral can't proceed. It's the final step, and without it, nothing can be completed."