Race supremacy narrative gains momentum as academics claim 60k y.o. Malay DNA precedes Indian, Chinese

 

Letter to Editor

STRONGEST, wisest, bravest … and now, one can add to the list, oldest. Yes, the superlatives continue to pile up for the Malay race according to a trio of learned academics. 

Going viral and trending recently is an outlandish claim by three public university professors.

Leading the way is the now infamous and controversial Prof Solehah Yaacob, an Arab linguistics expert attached to International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) who has shot to fame with numerous equally stupendous claims.

That include the Malays teaching ancient Romans the art of shipbuilding or even how to fly to the Chinese to the race being direct descendants of Prophet Abraham.

She is joined by Assoc Prof Dr Safarina Zainuddin and Prof Dr Zaharah Suleiman, both of whom are attached to Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). 

The former is the Analytical Biochemistry Research Centre director while the latter is a medical lecturer at the School of Medical Sciences. 

Oldest DNA

The first thing to note, especially with Prof Solehah is that she seems quite adept at making pronouncements in areas that are NOT her expertise. What does an academic in Arab languages and civilisations know about genetics? 

Link at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/897249687109503/permalink/3382652201902560/?rdid=cz5Ddu7wXon4YZaU#

It has also been argued that Prof Safarina has misinterpreted the data available and has been refuted by well-known geneticists. 

The claim of Malays having the “second oldest” mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) in the world (around 60,000 years) is based on a 2013 HUGO report but HUGO-affiliated geneticists like Dr Maude E. Phipps has refuted such claim.

Arguing that no such report ever existed and the claims misrepresented their work, Phipps has further contended that citing mtDNA alone is insufficient for broad age claims regarding entire ethnic groups.

Prof Zaharah was more specific with her figures by claiming that Malay mtDNA is ~63,000 years old as opposed to Chinese mtDNA at ~43,000 years old. 

HUGO academics have since labelled her statements “absurd, fictitious and a complete misrepresentation” of their research. 

Geneticists clarified there is no such thing as “Malay genes”, no evidence links Semang/Senoi directly to Malays and the claim that Malays are the “second oldest” ethnicity is false.

In fact, a complete rebuttal to these claims by a panel of distinguished academics who felt duty bound to correct the misconceptions making the rounds had been published in the Malay Mail in August 2018.

It was argued that mtDNA lineages in the Malay Peninsula date back to initial human settlement ~50,000+ years ago. However, these deep lineages are ancestral and found in many non-African populations, not unique to any modern group.

Moreover, it was pointed out that Modern Malay genetics formed later through a complex mixture of ancient hunter-gatherers and migrations of Austronesian farmers within the last ~4,000 years. 

This makes their genetic profile similar to other Southeast Asian groups but “not uniquely ancient”.

Misquoting, misinterpretation

In conclusion, this claim is not supported by scientific evidence. It appears to be a clear case of scientific data being misinterpreted – often cited without proper context – to support a particular narrative. 

Essentially, the “Malay DNA” claim has been robustly refuted by the very researchers whose work was misquoted.

Now, the pertinent question that arises is why are these stories surfacing now on various social media forums?

That rebuttal was made in 2018. What’s even more interesting is that the actual “research” first appeared in 2011!

 

I can only surmise two possible reasons for this. One, it is to alert the public that such narratives are being used to further certain agendas, especially in the current overheated climate surrounding communal relations in Malaysi

Secondly, could these stories be re-surfacing as a diversionary tactic? Outlandish and sometimes ridiculous statements are usually brought to surface when public attention need diverting from more pressing matters on say, corruption or abuse of power.

It may be conjecture but it is worth thinking why a story from 2011 is getting traction 15 years later. 

A Genetically Inferior Citizen

Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.