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“SHE can become a good fiction writer for movies… ” is how human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim described the latest antic of Prof Dr Solehah Yaacob, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) senior academician who recently claimed that “Malays can fly”.
Probably blending her lecture notes with fiction, the Arabic language and literature lecturer latest claim is equally mind boggling – “the Romans learned to build ships from the Malays!”
This has earned a rebuttal from Facebooker SEA Heritage & History that there is no strong evidence based on credible research that the Roman Empire specifically learned shipbuilding from the Ancient Malays.
The digital creator went on to debunk the presumed myth by “the pride of IIUM” who coincidentally is also a member of the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET).
No documents – archaeological, or historical records – have been found that clearly demonstrate the Romans acquired their shipbuilding technology from the Malays. These claims often appear as legends or modern interpretations, and are not supported by adequate scientific evidence.
Interaction routes between Rome and Southeast Asia did exist (through trade in India and the Indian Ocean) but direct technical influence on Roman shipbuilding from Malay technology has not been proven.
Many such claims are classified as “myths” or “unverified hypotheses” in studies of the history of maritime relations.
“Therefore, the statement “the ancient Romans learned shipbuilding from the ancient Malays” can’t be considered a proven historical fact,” concluded SEA Heritage & History.
“It’s more appropriately described as a hypothesis or interpretation that still requires further evidence.”
‘Nut university’
While SEA Heritage & History has been very diplomatic in his rebuttal of Solehah, the same cannot be said of renowned political commentator Prof James Chin.
“I can tell you from mainstream history – including mainstream historians from this region – her entire lecture is at best pseudo-history,” reacted the inaugural director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania on his FB page.
“Real historians would simply label her as “nuts”! But she is a full professor at UIA and she has been saying this sort of things for the past decade.
“As far as I know, UIA has never asked her to go up against other historians or even check if her work is legitimate. The fact that she is a still a professor tells you a lot about UIA, right?”
Well, below are some of the reactions from Chin’s FB post which has garnered 1.6K likes, 1.1K comments and 239 shares at the time of writing: – Nov 3, 2025
SHE CAN BECOME A GOOD FICTION WRITER FOR MOVIES… https://t.co/dpmaiYY8QH
— Siti Kasim (@sitikasim) November 2, 2025
The post IIUM’s professor makes Malaysia laughing stock by claiming “Romans learned to build ships from Malays” first appeared on Focus Malaysia.
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