PETALING JAYA, Nov 10 — An International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer has stood by her claim that ancient Romans may have acquired shipbuilding knowledge from Malay seafarers. She said the hypothesis, developed since her PhD in 2005, was grounded in classical Arabic references and supported by studies from historians such as PY Manguin and RL Smith.
Lecturer Defends Claim
The lecturer noted that Malays were a maritime civilisation long before Europeans mastered navigation, while the Romans only expanded their seafaring activities after conquering Egypt in 31 BCE. Citing Arab scholars like Al-Biruni and Al-Kindi, she linked early iron-smelting centres to ancient Kedah, arguing this reflected deep regional expertise in shipbuilding. She urged critics to cease ridicule and respect academic discourse.
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