Amid growing criticism and ridicule, a professor from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has defended her controversial claim that ancient Romans learned shipbuilding from Malay seafarers.
The claim was made by Dr. Solehah Yaacob during a lecture on Dec 31, 2022, which resurfaced in a video posted on Oct 31, 2024, on the YouTube channel Nota Kuliah, known for sharing religious talks. As the video went viral, IIUM announced that it had launched an internal investigation into her remarks.
In a statement cited by Free Malaysia Today, IIUM said Solehah’s comments had “tarnished the university’s academic integrity and reputation,” stressing that her views did not reflect IIUM’s official stance.
Professor Stands by Her Words
On Nov 9, Solehah responded to the backlash on Facebook, describing herself as “the victim of a media lynching.” She defended her statements by referencing classical Arabic sources and reiterated her belief that the Malays were one of the earliest maritime civilizations.
“Unlike the Europeans, who were mostly continental, the Malays were a maritime people,” she wrote. “I firmly believe the Malays were among the first to master the art of shipbuilding, and that the Romans — like many others — learned navigation from earlier seafaring civilizations, likely from the Malay maritime world.”
However, she did not provide concrete evidence to support her specific claim that the Romans learned from the Malays.
Past Controversial Remarks
This is not the first time Solehah has drawn attention for unconventional theories. In September, during an appearance on a podcast hosted by Gabungan Nasionalis — a Malay-Muslim NGO coalition — she claimed that ancient Malays could fly and had taught “flying kung fu” to the Chinese, according to Free Malaysia Today.
Online users have also revisited her earlier work. On Nov 8, a Reddit user shared a 2018 paper by Solehah exploring connections between Biblical and Islamic texts. Among her references was an article from The Onion, a well-known American satire publication, which she used to support the claim that ancient Greek civilization was fabricated by scholars between 1971 and 1974.
Call for Respectful Dialogue
In her Facebook post, Solehah appealed for civility and open-mindedness. “My hypothesis about the achievements of the Malays and the borrowings of the Romans may be right or wrong,” she said. “But in both academic and Islamic traditions, we are taught to respect differing opinions. In Islam, we do not persecute scholars for their views.”
Official and Political Reactions
IIUM reiterated that while it supports academic freedom, such freedom must be exercised with responsibility and grounded in verified research.
Malaysia’s Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, when asked about the issue on Nov 6, reminded lecturers to stay within their areas of expertise. “We do not stop lecturers from expressing opinions in their field, but it’s not ideal for them to comment on matters outside of it,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
The controversy even reached Parliament on Nov 10, where DAP MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid criticized Solehah’s theory, saying history must be “based on evidence, not fantasy.” Meanwhile, PAS MP Wan Razali Wan Nor urged that more research be conducted instead of dismissing the theory outright.
