Professor Solehah Yaacob Dismissed from University Following Controversial Claims

Solehah Yaacob, a Malaysian academic, was dismissed from her role as an Arabic linguistics instructor at the International Islamic University Malaysia on April 27, as confirmed by university officials. The dismissal followed her viral claims that ancient Malays taught flying kung-fu to the Chinese and shipbuilding to the Romans, which have been widely criticized and debunked. A university spokesperson stated that she is no longer affiliated with the institution and cannot use any title associated with it in promotional materials or media. Yaacob has expressed her intention to challenge her dismissal in court, stating that she was not given the opportunity to appeal and had declined a compensation offer equivalent to six months' salary. Her claims have drawn significant criticism from historians and commentators, with some labeling her theories as pseudoscience. Despite the backlash, Yaacob defended her assertions, citing classical Arabic sources to support her hypothesis. The university emphasized the importance of academic freedom exercised responsibly and grounded in accuracy.