Catholic Bishop Dr Paul Tan Chee Ing lauded the sentiments of PAS MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa expressed in the course of a visit to the nun who lies in coma in Seremban Hospital following a beating she and a confrere suffered at the hands of unknown assailants.

The incident which took place on the grounds of the Church of the Visitation in Jalan Yam Tuan in the Negri Sembilan capital last week, has roused suspicions it was a hate crime, though people familiar with the vicinity say it is prone to snatch thefts and is a haunt of drug addicts.

Mujahid, federal legislator for Parit Buntar and leading light in what seems a solitary campaign of forging dialogue between Muslims and Christian groups at a time of ratcheting tensions between the two communities, urged the recognition of the sanctity of places of worship and their inviolability to all and sundry.

“I agree with Mujahid’s sentiments and claim further that it is a mark of a civilised polity if a place of worship is recognised as inviolable to all,” said Bishop Paul Tan ( left ).

“I applaud him for the humanitarian gesture of a visit to a victim of an atrocity which we recognise as being the more despicable for it having occurred within the grounds of a place of worship and to people who were about to perform their obligatory rituals, ” added the head of the Catholic Church in the Johor-Malacca diocese.

Sister Juliana Lim, 68, and Sister Mary-Rose, 80, had arrived at the church grounds and were about to attend a 6.30 am service when they were set upon by assailants wielding what are believed to be crash helmets.

Both sisters in the order of the Infant Jesus, renowned for setting up convent schools in the country since 1852, collapsed from their beating and were taken to hospital, where Juliana remains in a coma while Mary-Rose was discharged yesterday.

Mujahid and ardent collaborator in the effort of forging Muslim-Christian dialogue, Abdul Rahman Kassim, PAS information chief from Tasek Gelugor, visited Sister Juliana in intensive care at the Seremban Hospital.

After the visit, Mujahid, head of PAS’ outreach programme, denounced the assailants as “people without souls” and urged their speedy apprehension by the police.

Made aware that Seremban Hospital lacked a neurologist, he urged the Health Ministry to expedite the appointment of one to the hospital.

Later he paid a visit to Father Gregory Chan, parish priest of the Church of the Visitation, where he lamented the incident and elaborated on his urging for the inviolability of places of worship.

‘Truly a channel of peace’

“He’s like St Francis of Assisi, truly a channel of peace, bringing consolation where there is loss, understanding where there is injury, a much needed figure indeed in our fractious times,” opined Bishop Paul Tan.

St Francis is a 12th century figure in Catholic folklore, revered for his respect for the environment, his practice of evangelical poverty, and his outreach to Muslims during the time of the Crusades.

The present Bishop of Rome, Francis, is said to emulate St Francis in his ways, which is why he took his name upon his elevation to the papacy.