Blantyre, Malawi — In a letter read Sunday in parishes across Malawi, the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) has said its members were under threats after they read a previous pastoral circular highly critical of the ruling establishment.

The letter further complained that in some cases CCAP Christians in districts affected by the recent flooding have been denied relief items as punishment for the pastoral letter.

The church also alleges that some influential pastors and elders had been approached and enticed with money to discredit the pastoral letter as the work of politicians.

President Bakili Muluzi has, however, taken a rather conciliatory stance on the palaver.

He told a rally in Blantyre earlier Saturday and a church service in the southern town of Balaka Sunday, that he has instructed officials to respond diplomatically to concerns raised in the letter.

"We are all not perfect, we makes mistakes. My government accepts criticism from anybody," he said.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Christian Council of Malawi (Protestant) and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (Roman Catholic) have hinted they would meet in the week ahead to discuss how to strengthen their cooperation against what they called social ills.