Malaysian Professor Dismissed After Claiming Ancient Malays Could Fly

A professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has been dismissed after making viral claims about ancient Malay civilisation. One of the claims stated that ancient Malays could fly and taught ‘flying kung fu’ to the Chinese people.

Such claims drew ridicule from historians.

IIUM, in a statement reported by The Star and South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Wednesday (26/8/2026), announced that Dr Solehah Yaacob had been relieved of her academic duties effective 27 April and is no longer entitled to claim any affiliation with the institution.

Solehah previously served as a professor of Arabic language and linguistics at IIUM, which is regarded as one of the world’s leading Islamic universities.

The IIUM Office of Communication, Advocacy and Promotion stated that Solehah is now prohibited from using any title, position or official association linked to the university.

‘She is no longer a professor and is not entitled to claim any association with this university,’ IIUM asserted in its announcement on Sunday (23/8) local time.

The announcement emphasised that Solehah is now barred from using IIUM-related titles or positions in ‘promotional materials, media coverage, publications and advertisements’.

‘IIUM hopes this clarification will help prevent misunderstandings and safeguard the academic integrity and reputation of this university,’ the announcement added.

Solehah has appealed the dismissal decision at Malaysia’s Industrial Court and accused the university of acting unprofessionally.

Solehah has come under the spotlight several times over her controversial historical claims. She first attracted public attention in November 2025, when she claimed that the ancient Romans may have learned shipbuilding techniques from Malay seafarers.

That claim, according to a Malay Mail report, prompted Malaysia’s Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, to urge university academics not to make claims outside their areas of expertise. IIUM had previously stressed that the view did not reflect the university’s official position.

Recently, Solehah again put forward a theory linking the abundance of iron ore deposits in Kedah, Malaysia, to meteor showers in the distant past. This once again sparked debate and controversy among academics and the general public.