In a recent lecture titled “Rome Learned to Build Ships from Malays”, Solehah Yaacob, a lecturer in Arabic language at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), advanced the provocative argument.
The argument is that Malay maritime expertise—stemming from ancient kingdoms such as the Funan Kingdom—had influenced the ship-building techniques of the Roman Empire.
According to her, Malay sea-power and mastery of ship construction pre-dated and provided the technical foundations that eventually reached Rome via intermediaries like the Phoenician civilization.
Solehah argued that the Malays had access to rich resources—gold, tin, iron—and developed oceangoing vessels long before certain Western civilizations.
She claims this legacy not only shaped regional maritime trade but also seeped into far-flung civilizations including Rome, thus rewriting a small fragment of maritime history.
Public Reaction and the “Kangkung” Mockery
Her claims stirred immediate controversy. Many historians and commentators were quick to reject the notion as lacking credible evidence.
For example, Wan Ramli Wan Daud, a historian of Malay technology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, stated that there is “no archaeological evidence or historical record” about the claim, as reported by The Straits Times.
He also said that adding that any resemblance in method is better explained by “simultaneous invention.”
On social media and in online forums, many used the moniker “Professor Kangkung” to mock the proposed theory.
The term “kangkung” (a water spinach common in Southeast Asia) is here used sarcastically to imply something trivial, absurd or lacking seriousness. Critics posted comments that ranged from humorous disbelief to harsher condemnations.
The mockery reflects broader frustration with claims perceived as overreaching or disconnected from established disciplinary standards.
Academic Concerns
The response from IIUM’s academic community about Solehah Yacoob’s claim has been cautious but firm.
According to South China Morning Post, the university’s Academic Staff Association (ASA) issued a statement expressing concern about public statements by faculty that risk undermining the institution’s reputation and calling for appropriate action.
Despite the mounting criticism, the university described Solehah’s claim as her personal opinion and emphasized that it did not represent the institution’s stance.
Some academic commentators have framed the episode as symptomatic of deeper issues in higher education: when scholars issue sweeping claims outside their area of expertise, without peer‐reviewed evidence, the credibility of academia is damaged.
One opinion piece argued that IIUM’s handling of the matter—allowing the claim to stand without rigorous scrutiny—amounted to a dereliction of academic responsibility.
Why the Claim Is Problematic
There are several reasons why Solehah’s argument was met with strong pushback. First, the field of Roman ship-building is well documented, with extensive archaeological and literary evidence tracing its evolution and influences.
The notion that such a major civilizational maritime technique was borrowed from the Malay world would require robust proofs, which critics say do not exist.
Second, the disciplinary mismatch: Solehah’s academic expertise lies in Arabic language and literature, not maritime archaeology or ancient Mediterranean studies. That raises questions about the methodological rigor behind the claim.
Third, the public dimensions: because the lecture went viral on social media, the claim quickly became a matter of public discourse and ridicule, rather than a reasoned scholarly debate.
The “Professor Kangkung” label underscores how the wider audience interpreted the claim more as sensationalism than serious scholarship.
