Two Elderly Nuns In Critical Condition After Vicious Snatch Theft Attack

Police today said the death of Sister Juliana Lim, who died after she was attacked with a helmet in an apparent robbery, has now been classified as murder. State police chief Datuk Osman Salleh said so far no arrest has been made in connection with the case.

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The case, initially investigated as a robbery under the Penal Code, has now been reclassified as murder under Section 302, he added. Police had said the attack was not a hate crime but plain robbery.

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In a statement today, the provincial head of the Infant Jesus Sisters, Sister Celina Wong confirmed that the 69-year-old passed away at the Tunku Jaafar Hospital Seremban this afternoon. “No words can express what her family members and the Infant Jesus Sisters are feeling at this moment. “We ask for your kind assistance to respect and accord space to the family members and the Infant Jesus Sisters to grieve and to come to terms with the passing of Sister Juliana. “We thank all of you for your concern, prayers and support during this difficult time,” she said.

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Osman, the chief of police in the state, told The Malay Mail Online that the CCTV recordings have been sent to the forensic department and a report is expected by Thursday.

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Sister Julianna Lim died at the Seremban hospital this afternoon, six days after she and another nun were attacked with helmets outside the Church of the Visitation in the Negri Sembilan state capital.

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She had been admitted in the Seremban Hospital and had been in coma following the attack. She passed away at 3.25pm today.

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The Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur is expected to release a press statement on the matter soon.

The CCTV at the Church of Visitation here has captured some footage of a man who is believed to have assaulted two Catholic nuns at the entrance to the premises.

“Based on our CCTV recordings, a passing motorcyclist made a U-turn at about 6.05am and rode into Gate 2, a minute after the sisters had driven in,” parish priest Father John Gnanapiragasam said of the violent attack last Wednesday morning. The part-footage was captured by two of the church’s 13 CCTVs, he said.

“The assailant, who was wearing a helmet and holding a lighted torch, ran after the two sisters who were dressed in everyday clothes. “He was then seen running towards his motorcycle and taking off two minutes later,” he said in a statement.

Police have set up a special team to investigate the brutal attack and robbery on two elderly nuns in a church compound in Seremban recently. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said the team had been formed in light of the severity of the case.

“The team will work to solve the case as soon as possible,” he said during a visit to the National Heart Institute in conjunction with recent 207th police day celebrations. Mohd Bakri, stressed, however that the incident was not motivated by any anti-religious sentiments.

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Sister Julianna Lim, 69, and Sister Marie Rose alias Theresa Teng, 79, were hospitalised after they were assaulted with a helmet by an unidentified man in the compound of the Church of Visitation on Wednesday. Lim is fighting for her life after slipping into a coma following the incident.

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Meanwhile, MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel described the attack on the two nuns as a heinous act carried out by cowards. “The nuns are two old ladies and to beat them until one of them had gone into a coma is an inhuman act. “I hope the police will find the perpetrators soon and bring them to justice,” he said in a statement here today.

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Palanivel advised the public not to overreact or turn the incident into a racial issue. “The police have classified it as robbery and they are still investigating. We will leave it in their good hands to handle the issue as best possible. I pray for the nuns for a speedy recovery,” he said.

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Sister Julianna Lim may have irreversible brain injury after being attacked with a helmet in the compound of a church here early on Wednesday.

The 69-year-old from the Holy Infant Jesus order based in Kampung Pasir has several blood clots in the head after being repeatedly struck with the helmet at the Church of Visitation here.

Church member P. Mary Josephine, 65, said doctors had conveyed this to church officials as Lim’s condition had not improved since she was wheeled after the attack. “Her pressure was extremely high when she was brought in but has since dropped. Doctors are trying their best to stabilise her but there are no signs of recovery yet,” she said.

The two elderly nuns who were mercilessly attacked with a helmet and robbed in the Church of Visitation compound had only a few ringgit each on them. Sister Julianna Lim, 69, who is fighting for her life after slipping into a coma following the incident just before dawn on Wednesday, had less than RM10 while Sister Marie Rose alias Theresa Teng, 79, had just several ringgit in their small handbags.

Police are investigating yesterday’s attack on two Catholic nuns as a robbery but will also consider other possibilities. Negeri Sembilan police chief Osman Salleh, who said this at press conference today, cautioned the public against speculations that could lead to religious tension.

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“We managed to record a statement from Marie Rose and she said that a man wearing a full-faced helmet had struck her first with a helmet. “This prompted Lim to scream, causing the attacker to lunge at her and pound her repeatedly with the helmet,” he said.

“We’ll get a statement from her when she’s ready,” Osman said, referring to Teng. He said police were also keen to interview Lim because she was the second to be attacked and therefore had more time to look at the assailant.

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Church member P. Mary Josephine, 65, said Marie Rose gave some details of the attack to church officials. “She said there was a lone attacker who struck her with a helmet while they were walking near the entrance to the church. “She begged the suspect not to harm her as she was old but then he pounced on Lim,” she said.

SEREMBAN: A nun is fighting for her life while another is seriously injured after they were beaten up by attackers believed to be snatch thieves.

Both the victims had arrived at the Church of the Visitation on Jalan Yam Tuan at about 6.15am in a car with two other nuns for the morning mass. The two other nuns went to the grotto to pray while Juliana and Mary-Rose went to the main entrance where they were believed to have been attacked.

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The nuns, who stay in a community located about a 10-minute drive from the church, are regulars at the early morning mass.

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The nun said Sisters Juliana Lim, 68, and Mary-Rose, 80, were believed to have been attacked by at least two assailants who used helmets to beat their victims.

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The nun also told The Malaysian Insider that the two victims, from the Infant Jesus Order, were dressed in ordinary clothes, instead of their habits.

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Father Gregory Chan from the Church of Visitation said caretakers found the nuns sprawled at the entrance to the church when they opened the main gate along Jalan Yam Tuan. “Both were badly bruised and bleeding. We do not know for sure what happened because no eyewitnesses have come forward,” he said.

The caretakers waited for paramedics to arrive before moving the nuns, said Chan. “They attend mass every morning and are well known by the congregation. “We are shocked at this senseless attack,” said a church member, who asked for anonymity.

The nun said Mary-Rose had revealed that the assailants had attacked both of them using helmets before snatching their bags, which contained a Bible, prayer book, rosary and a small amount of cash each.

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Lim is still in a coma and said to be in critical condition. She is also on the respirator. Mary-Rose is weak but conscious. Both are warded at the Seremban Hospital.

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A hospital spokesman said one was undergoing emergency surgery and the other awaiting a report on her brain scan.

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Other nuns are now taking turns to stay with the victims at the hospital.

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Some church members were trying to talk to Rose at her hospital bed but she was too traumatised to speak.

Bukit Aman CID deputy director (investigation and law) Deputy Comm Datuk Amar Singh said police were investigating and would take swift action.

Police were at the hospital today to speak to Mary-Rose and take pictures of the injuries she suffered in the attack.

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According to a Facebook posting by Catholic priest Gregory Chan, the incident happened before the 6.30 am mass.

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A posting on the church Facebook earlier today read "Please pray for Sister Juliana, an IJ nun who was hurt in a robbery this morning. She is quite critical at the red zone GH Seremban. The doctors attending to her have asked to inform relatives. Please pray for her complete recovery. Thanks. God Bless."

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According to church members, several snatch thefts had happened near there in recent months. In one incident, an elderly woman was pushed into a drain, beaten up and then robbed. “Who would have the heart to harm two old women at the entrance to a church?” asked another church member, who also declined to be named.

“We hope the authorities can organise more patrols in the area, particularly in the early morning, to prevent a recurrence,” he said.

The Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) today expressed shock over the attack on the nuns. “The voices of antagonism and hatred have been on the increase in the country and it would be no surprise if the attack on the nuns were not conspired by those out to cause inter-religious conflict in the country.

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“The police must investigate this case of outright religious intimidation and fear creation and bring those responsible to justice,” said CCM general-secretary Reverend Hermen Shastri in a statement.

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He said Christians throughout the country will pray for the two sisters, “that God will grant them peace in their hearts and a speedy recovery from their physical trauma”. “May the Lord look down in mercy on those who have caused hurt to the two innocent sisters,” Shastri added.

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Netizens roundly condemned the attack on two nuns on the grounds of the Church of the Visitation in Seremban yesterday, with many expressing doubts on whether robbery was the motive of the assault.

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Readers of The Malaysian Insider said the timing of the incident, with religious tension continuing to escalate, points towards it being a hate crime rather than a robbery attempt.
matsaleh said: "When irresponsible public figures use religion to bait people and gain publicity, it can lead to such horrible events on innocent private figures."

TMI reader PNL wrote: NUNS do not carry expensive handbags or wear jewellery!!!!!!!! Just what can the coward robber hoped to get from these nuns???????? This is really getting out of hand!!!!! Besides we have NEVER heard of nuns getting robbed!!!!!!
"What was there to rob from a nun? A prayer rosary?" asked Harjim.

"Looks like a setup by some religious extremist to make it look like robbery but was in fact religious hatred and intolerance," said BolehBoleh.

MainDuaBola said: "I am not a Christian but I am praying that they recover. What monsters that can do such thing."

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