University lecturers should stick to their area of specialisation and not give views on matters out of their scope of expertise, says higher education minister Zambry Abd Kadir.
He was responding to remarks by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer Solehah Yaacob, who suggested that ancient Roman shipbuilding techniques may have been learned from Malay seafarers.
Zambry said the academic world is governed by established procedures and guidelines that must be observed to preserve the integrity of knowledge and the credibility of higher education institutions, Bernama reported.
“We do not stop lecturers from expressing views related to their respective fields. However, it is not ideal when they comment on issues outside their field.
“This is something that has often been raised, and as I have repeatedly emphasised, they should focus on their own areas of specialisation,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference following an event at his ministry in Putrajaya today.
A video of Solehah’s claim that the Romans learned shipbuilding from the Malays, has since gone viral. She was believed to have made the comments during a lecture.
The Arabic language lecturer was commenting on the discovery of a shipwreck believed to date back to the 13th century on Pulau Melaka last Friday.
The discovery of the giant wooden ship skeleton, aged between 800 and 900 years, is believed to be among the oldest shipwrecks ever found off the coast of Malaysia, marking an important milestone in the country’s archaeological history.
According to Zambry, professors and lecturers should serve as reference points for the community in their respective fields of expertise, similar to specialist doctors who offer opinions only within their areas of specialisation.
“However, when a professor in a technical field speaks as though they are an expert in an unrelated area – even if their views may be reasonable – such remarks often raise questions in the academic community when presented as personal expertise,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the academic staff from IIUM has also issued a statement on the issue.
IIUM’s academic staff association (ASA) called for the university’s management to take firm action against academics whose conduct or public statements breach ethical, professional, or academic standards, Malaysiakini reported.
Though ASA did not name any specific academic staff, it is believed to allude to the recent remarks by Solehah.
ASA said it was concerned over “actions that undermine social responsibility or risk damaging the university’s reputation”. It called for IIUM not to take such matters lightly.
“The credibility of our institution rests on the integrity, accountability, and professionalism of its academic staff.
“As a community founded on the pursuit of truth, justice, and ethical scholarship, all academics are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, intellectual honesty, professionalism, and moral conduct – both within and outside the campus environment,” it said.
