SEREMBAN, May 24 — A senior citizen is fighting for his life in hospital after he was assaulted in the same manner a maniac attacked two elderly Catholic nuns recently in the compound of the Church of the Visitation in an apparent robbery.

Food court caretaker Hay Peng Kong, 65, who was bashed up about two weeks ago, is set to amplify the rage of the street crime-ridden state capital.

The town has been steaming with anger over police inefficiency to take control of the streets that has reportedly seen numerous cases of snatch thefts and muggings.

The recent death of Sister Juliana Lim, 69, and the hurt caused to Sister Marie-Rose Teng, 79, have intensified the public's anger.

As the town wept for Lim, who was buried at the Sikamat Christian cemetery yesterday, Malay Mail can, based on interviews, reveal that there have been numerous similar cases of late.

However, police say the streets of Seremban, particularly Jalan Yam Tuan in the heart of the town and its vicinity, are safe.

Seremban police chief ACP Zainal Abu holds that since he assumed the post nine months ago, the streets have been crime-free.

“There have only been one or two isolated cases and there were no reports lodged. It is not a crime hotspot,” he said.

Zainal's deputy Supt Baharuddin Mustapha, when asked if the hospital had alerted them to Hay's assault case said: “We are unaware of this case (Hay) and have not received any information on it.”

While Lim and Teng were struck on the head with a helmet on their way to morning prayers on May 14, it is not known what object was used to pummel Hay.

He kept little cash on him, but operators at Min Kee food court in Jalan Tun Dr Ismail said the assailants were probably angry that they found no money when they raided the stalls.

The man who attacked the nuns fled with Lim's handbag, containing a paltry RM10, and three pocket bibles, while Teng lost some cash and a mobile phone.

In Hay’s case, no one knows exactly what happened. No police report has been lodged.

Malay Mail's attemps to talk to him in his ward at Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital here on Tuesday drew a blank.

He merely nodded and made hand gestures when questions were asked.

The sunken right part of his skull indicated the heavy blows he sustained.

Hay, who was unable to speak, also suffered bodily injuries. His condition remains critical.

He was transferred from to the Tampin district hospital on Wednesday as Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital had run out of beds.

A food court employee said Hay was found bleeding and sprawled at the entrance of the building at about 5am by a newspaper vendor.

She suspected that Hay, who has worked there for five years, was beaten up after midnight.

Stall owners at the food court described the attack as mindless and said they were living in fear.