{
  "id": 2822423,
  "title": "Controversial lecturer Solehah to challenge termination by IIUM",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/controversial-lecturer-solehah-to-challenge-termination-by-iium",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T15:41:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/23/controversial-lecturer-solehah-to-challenge-termination-by-iium"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "International Islamic University Malaysia has terminated the professorship of controversial lecturer Solehah Yaacob, who specializes in Arabic linguistics. The decision came swiftly, with Solehah being dismissed within 24 hours and denied the opportunity to appeal. Solehah has fired back, accusing the university of unprofessional conduct in its termination of her employment. She informed FMT that IIUM offered her a six-month severance package, but she declined the offer. Solehah, who holds a doctorate in Arabic linguistics, maintains that the university's actions are unjustified, particularly given the accolades she received from the higher education ministry just days before her dismissal. These accolades include the Malaysia Research Assessment award, a tool used to assess research performance in Malaysian universities. Solehah has been in the spotlight due to her controversial views on Malay history and civilization. Among her controversial claims, she suggested that the Romans learned shipbuilding from the Malays and that Malaysia's iron ore deposits are a result of meteor strikes.",
  "summary": "The academic says she is going to the Industrial Court as she was not allowed to appeal against her 24-hour dismissal.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "UIAM tamat khidmat Solehah Yaacob",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/uiam-tamat-khidmat-solehah-yaacob",
        "published": "2026-08-23T05:38:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Solehah Yaacob no longer with IIUM after Roman-Malay shipbuilding claim",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/solehah-yaacob-no-longer-with-iium-after-roman-malay-shipbuilding",
        "published": "2026-08-23T07:13:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}