Sambanthan’s daughter, Deva Kunjari, expressed shock over a Form Five history textbook which mentioned her father, but used a photograph of EEC “Clough” Thuraisingam, colonial Malaya’s first education minister.

“I am appalled, not only do they address my father without his title, but they have placed someone else’s photo. And this is a textbook. The publishers and MoE (education ministry) will be hearing from me,” she said in a Facebook posting. “God knows what other inaccuracies this book contains.”

The page in the history book concerns the Member System of Cabinet government introduced by Henry Gurney in paving the way for Malaya’s self-governance in 1951.

The page bears photographs of Onn Jaafar and Thuraisingam but the latter’s photograph has the caption “VT Sambanthan”.

Onn and Thuraisingham, who were friends, were among the first members of Malaya’s self-governing Cabinet before independence. Onn was the member (minister) for home affairs and Thuraisingham the member (minister) of education.

Sambanthan was Malaya’s first labour minister before Merdeka. He was the first MP for Sungai Siput and held the seat for 18 years from 1955, and also the fifth president of MIC.