FIRST thing first. There is a slight plot twist in the decision by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to end its employment of controversial academic Solehah Yaacob effective April 27.
Recall that IIUM in distancing itself from the Arabic linguist specialist-turned-historian without credential has stressed that the latter was no longer permitted to use any title or position linked to the university or allowed to claim any affiliation with the higher learning institution.
However, the former Department of Arabic Language and Literature who accused IIUM of having acted unprofessionally in her contract discontinuity would be referring the matter to the Industrial Court.
“The reason I was terminated was because I didn’t attend even one academic inquiry meeting regarding the Roman ship issue. For the two meetings before that, I had a ward admission letter and a sick leave certificate,” she apparently told Malay language news portal TV Pertiwi.
As for the third time, I’ve written an e-mail apologising and asking for it to be re-scheduled given I had already obliged to attend a programme one month before I found out the date of the inquiry meeting.
I couldn’t cancel the programme because the participants have already made the payment and the banner had already been put up for a long time. The case has been referred to the Industrial Court pending the letter for filing.
For the record, IIUM had established an internal inquiry panel late last year to examine Solehah’s arguments regarding the Roman shipbuilding issue related to academic integrity.
The inquiry panel was chaired by Deputy Rector (Academic & Internationalisation) Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Faris Ismail.
Sympathisers aplenty
Avid political commentator Ptof James Chin lauded IIUM’s decision to severe any connection with Solehah on grounds that her academic wisdom has severely damaged the latter’s reputation.
“People shouldn’t pity her because she had complete freedom to spread her mind-blowing ideas … She has joined a right-wing firm whereby she’s now conducting cruises and well-attended workshops on a full-time basis,” the inaugural director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania told FocusM.
“Such ecosystem will enable her and other likeminded people to amplify greatness of the Malay civilisation in that it is not only the oldest but most superior in this part of the world … It baffles the mind as to why many fall for that or how this proliferates so fast in the Malay society.”
Likening Solehah’s antics to the western craze in the “ancient aliens” phenomenon, Chin contended that the Malay society always has soft spot for such alternative history element.
“PAS can surely derive mileage from her given she’s both sympathetic of the Islamist party’s position, especially with her belief that Islam has its presence in Malaysia even earlier than the 14th century,” opined Chin who is also the senior associate at the Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR).
“Nevertheless, that same wavelength and belief in alternative history pose danger as they paint the impression of Malays being suppressed, hence can spark unduly racial tension by their act of lashing out against the minority.”
As it is, some rational Malays, too, welcome the termination of Solehah on grounds of the numerous deceptive findings associated with her.
But the irony is such that the rightist fraternity is seemingly defensive of Solehah as gauged from reaction of commenters from the TV Pertiwi Facebook post and that of Malay language portal Malaysia Gazette.
In a gist, many who are fascinated with her lecture want her “to continue unveiling the greatness if Malay Muslim civilisation” or that she will continue to be protected by the All Mighty in her quest to unearth the ultimate truth about the greatness of Malay civilisation even if they defy “modern day imperialistic history”.
Elsewhere, there are also words of encouragement for her to sue IIUM over her unfair dismissal given there are “invisible hands to prevent foresightful Malay academicians from excelling in their fields of studies”. – Focus Malaysia
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