A Malaysian academic gained significant attention online for her unusual pseudo-historical claims, including the assertion that ancient Malays taught flying kung-fu to the Chinese. She has since lost her position at her university.
Solehah Yaacob was let go from her role as an Arabic linguistics instructor at the International Islamic University Malaysia on April 27, as confirmed by university officials.
A spokesperson stated, “She is no longer a professor, nor entitled to claim any association with the university,” but did not provide specific details regarding the dismissal.
According to the announcement, “The use of any title or position with IIUM is not permitted in promotional materials, media reports, or other forms of dissemination.”
Yaacob first drew headlines last November when a clip from a lecture resurfaced in which she claimed ancient Malays taught shipbuilding to the Romans.
As her theories gained traction, she faced harsh criticism and mockery, particularly for other bold claims, like the idea that meteor strikes were responsible for iron ore deposits.
Frustrated, Yaacob announced her intention to contest her firing in court. “I was dismissed within 24 hours without an opportunity to appeal,” she said in an interview.
She also mentioned rejecting the university’s compensation offer, which was apparently equal to six months’ salary.
This decision to terminate her employment came just a day after she received a Malaysian Research Assessment (MyRA) award from the university.
Yaacob’s termination occurred mere months after the university publicly addressed her controversial remarks about shipbuilding.
While IIUM has stressed the importance of academic freedom, they also emphasized that such freedom should be exercised responsibly and based on academic accuracy.
Critics have strongly condemned her assertions. For instance, she appeared on a podcast to promote the idea that ancient Malays possessed extraordinary abilities, including teaching kung-fu.
Her assertion that the Malays had superior shipbuilding knowledge compared to Europeans has been thoroughly rejected by historians.
Online, she became a target of ridicule, with some mockingly dubbing her “Prof. Sambal Belcan” after she tried to present her claims as facts.
James Chin, a political analyst, characterized her theories as “pure pseudoscience,” noting that those who challenge her assertions risk being labeled negatively.
Historian Wan Ramli Wan Daud pointed out that there is no evidence supporting Yaacob’s claims, suggesting that any similarities in shipbuilding were purely coincidental.
Despite the widespread criticism, Yaacob stood by her statements, asserting on social media that her ideas are founded in classical Arabic sources and claim that Romans learned shipbuilding techniques from the Malay Archipelago.
She also made the controversial statement that iron ore deposits originated from meteor strikes.
Additionally, internet investigators discovered that she had referenced the satirical site “The Onion” in a 2018 journal article, although this reference has since been removed from the revised article.
