A lecture by a Malaysian academic has ignited fierce online debate after she claimed that ancient Romans learned shipbuilding techniques from the Malays. The controversial claim has split social media between those celebrating Malay maritime pride and others questioning the state of academic integrity in public universities.
Associate Professor Solehah Yaacob from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) made the statement in a lecture titled “Rome Learned to Build Ships From Malays.” The video has since gone viral, attracting thousands of views and triggering both amusement and concern among viewers. Despite specialising in Linguistic Thought and Arabic literature, Solehah ventured into maritime history—an area outside her field of expertise—asserting that Malay seafarers influenced Roman naval engineering.
Backlash Over Historical Inaccuracy
Critics were quick to challenge her claims, pointing out that the Roman Empire’s shipbuilding methods predated major East-West contact by centuries. A detailed rebuttal circulating online highlighted stark differences between Roman and Malay ship designs: Roman ships used rigid plank-on-frame construction typical of the Mediterranean, while traditional Malay vessels featured lashed-lug or sewn-plank techniques, suited to tropical waters.
One commenter wrote, “We can take pride in Srivijaya’s maritime glory, but claiming the Romans learned from us is turning history into fiction.” Others expressed disbelief with biting humour. One quipped, “Did the Romans walk to the Malay Peninsula and return by sampan?” while another joked, “Next you’ll tell us the pyramids were built with Malay technology.”
The lecture has also triggered public calls for the Ministry of Education to review the academic standards of public universities. Some Malaysians expressed embarrassment, while others defended the professor’s attempt to elevate Southeast Asia’s historical importance.
Balancing National Pride and Scholarly Rigor
Not all reactions were negative. Some viewers called for evidence before dismissing the lecture, asking the professor to cite sources that could support her claims. Others took a more light-hearted view, suggesting her ideas could inspire a fantasy film about ancient Malay heroes — “like a Malay version of Lord of the Rings.”
Solehah’s lecture also touched on Southeast Asia’s position as a major maritime civilisation, referencing the Funan period, trade connections with the Islamic world, and historical artefacts such as the Kalah sword mentioned by Al-Biruni and Al-Kindi. She argued that the Malay world represented the “fifth civilisation,” a concept diverging from the widely accepted six cradles of civilisation — Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, Mesoamerica, and the Andes.
The controversy comes at a time of renewed interest in the region’s maritime past, especially following the discovery of a 13th-century shipwreck off Pulau Melaka. The massive vessel, built from saga wood, offers genuine insight into Southeast Asia’s ancient seafaring achievements — an area of study that historians agree deserves further recognition, albeit grounded in evidence rather than speculation.
As the debate continues, many Malaysians are calling for higher academic accountability, urging scholars to ensure that national pride does not come at the expense of historical accuracy.