Newly-minted Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid has landed himself in hot water less than a month after assuming his position when he claimed the corruption allegations made by whistleblower portal Sarawak Report was an attempt by Christians and Jews to split Muslims.

The Council of Churches today said it was deeply concerned by what it said was an unfair statement.

"First of all, it is wrong to link us Christians with the Jews. Its highly misleading to even associate us with the Jews and worse still, to propose that we are in any way trying to split the Malays or any other group," said Council of Churches secretary-general Hermen Shastri in a press statement today.

Shastri ( photo ) said such remarks coming from a minister have caused much anxiety in the Christian community and moderate Malaysians.

"He should be promoting national harmony and unity, instead of spewing ill-will and polarisation in our country," he said.

"We therefore urge the minister to clarify his detrimental and divisive remarks and better still to apologise for making those obnoxious comments.

"He should not make false allegations as it is harmful and can be regarded as undermining national unity," said Shastri.

Mahdzir, who is Umno supreme council member, had made the controversial remarks at the opening of Hulu Langat Umno division meeting last Sunday.

Jews, Christians to blame

In his speech, he claimed Sarawak Report , which had reported claims of misappropriation in state-owned 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposited into the prime minister's personal bank accounts, was part of a Christian and Jewish conspiracy to split Muslims.

"The Jews and the Christians have pledged that as long as there is the moon and the stars, as long as the end of the world is not here yet, they will decide that Muhammad's followers will be confused and split among themselves. This is the pledge of the Jews and Christians.

"And today, those who do things to us are not only from within the country, but from outside the country like Sarawak Report , which does not operate from Kuching," he reportedly said.

Mahdzir was made a minister in a cabinet reshuffle last month, taking over the portfolio from former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was removed from the cabinet for criticising Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's handling of 1MDB.

Muhyiddin later revealed he had also confronted Najib about the RM2.6 billion deposited into the latter's personal bank accounts prior to his ouster.

Najib claimed the money was a political donation and was not corruption.