IIUM Terminates Professor After Viral Claims About Ancient Malay Civilization

The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) announced that Solehah Yaacob, a former linguistics professor, was terminated from academic service on April 27. The university’s Office for Communication, Advocacy and Promotion stated that she is no longer a professor and is barred from using any official title, position, or affiliation with IIUM. The statement emphasized that the clarification is intended to prevent misunderstanding and to preserve the institution’s academic integrity.

South China Morning Post

Solehah Yaacob had attracted widespread attention online for asserting that ancient Malay civilization possessed the ability to fly and that Malays taught the Chinese “flying kung fu.” These claims were circulated widely on social media and quickly met with ridicule from historians, who questioned the scholarly basis of the assertions. The viral nature of the statements placed the university under public scrutiny.

South China Morning Post

In its formal communication, IIUM highlighted that the termination reflects a commitment to uphold the university’s standing as one of the world’s leading Islamic universities.

South China Morning Post

Historians and scholars referenced in the coverage described the flying-Malay narrative as lacking credible evidence, characterizing it as a sensationalist reinterpretation of the region’s past. Their criticism reinforced the university’s decision to sever ties, suggesting that the episode could undermine scholarly standards if left unaddressed.

South China Morning Post

The termination illustrates IIUM’s swift action to separate its brand from unsubstantiated historical claims that had generated public controversy.

South China Morning Post