THE International Affairs Bureau of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) has expressed firm solidarity with Pope Leo XIV, praising his principled stance against escalating global tensions involving the administration of United States (US) President Donald Trump and its allies against Iran.
In a statement, its chairman, Dr Maszlee Malik, said the Pope’s call for restraint and peace comes at a critical time when the world is at risk of wider conflict.
The Pope’s voice rings out as a clarion call for reason, restraint and the sanctity of human life, he said, commending the pontiff’s assertion that war cannot be justified in the name of religion.
Maszlee said the bureau also lauded Pope Leo XIV’s courage in speaking out despite criticism, describing it as an embodiment of moral courage in the face of belligerent hegemony.
At the same time, he said, Keadilan strongly criticised Trump’s recent remarks against the Pope, calling them “insolent” and lacking diplomatic decorum.
For a political leader to dismiss the Pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” simply for advocating dialogue over destruction is the height of diplomatic indecency, he noted.
Maszlee said that such comments undermine the principles of religious freedom and moral independence, while reflecting a broader pattern of unilateral and aggressive foreign policy by the US administration.
He also reiterated the bureau’s stance that actions such as military strikes violate international law and the United Nations Charter, and warned against what he described as a “delusion of omnipotence” in global leadership.
The statement echoed concerns raised by global leaders and Catholic communities, calling Trump’s remarks an insult not only to Catholics worldwide but also to those who value peace and diplomacy.
Keadilan urged the international community to support the Vatican’s call for immediate de-escalation and a return to multilateral diplomacy.
On Sunday, Trump criticised Pope Leo XIV in a post on Truth Social, calling the pontiff “terrible” on foreign policy and “weak on crime,” following the pope’s renewed appeals for an end to conflicts.
According to reports, the Pope had called on world leaders to halt hostilities and pursue peace, warning against the dangers of power-driven aggression amid ongoing tensions in West Asia.
The US and Israel launched a large-scale bombing campaign against Iran on Feb 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks across West Asia, with a fragile ceasefire now in place. – April 15, 2026
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