Dato' E. E. C. Thuraisingham: The first Minister of Education

 Dato' E. E. C. Thuraisingham

(28 August 1898- 30 March 1979)

The first Minister of Education

  “I stand with Onn Jaafar, there is only one party for all the people”.

  Dato' E. E. C. Thuraisingham

 Dato Sir Onn bin Jaafar, US Vice-President Richard Nixon & Dato Sir Thuraisingham

Taiping born Thuraisingham was a member of the Federal Legislative Council from 1948 and served as the chairman of the influential Communities Liaison Committee and as Member (Minister) of Education. Dato Onn the founder of UMNO together with Thuraisingham, H.S. Lee and V.M.N. Menon, became the vanguard of the multiracial Malayan independence movement. Together they laid the ground-work for independence.

During a period of self-government which preceded full independence from Britain in 1957 and under the multiracial-minded British High Commissioner Sir Gerald Templar, Onn became the first Member (Minister) for Home Affairs while Thuraisingham became the first Member (Minister) for Education, two important portfolios from which they began shaping the future of Malaya.A close confidante of Dato’ Onn Jaafar, Thuraisingham played a leading role with Onn in the formation of the Independence of Malaya Party in 1951 and sought to instill a non-communal approach to Malayan politics,

However the multiracial politics they had expected didn't take shape. Instead race based politics rapidly gathered momentum eclipsing the moderate voice of Dato Onn thus leading to Dato Onn’s departure from UMNO. After the demise of non-comunal politics Thuraisingham continued to stand firmly by his decision of not participating in racial politics. He objected to the race-based policies of the Alliance Party and in 1955, Thuraisingham resigned as Member (Minister) for Education as a protest towards racial politics which was beginning to take shape.A man of principle Thuraisingham would not join the Alliance Party staying true to the multiracial politics of Dato Onn. With the demise of multiracial politics he returned to his legal practice in Ampang Street where he continued to provide his services to the public, which were free at times, especially for those who could not pay.

Other positions and awards in recognition of his contribution. 

Senator in the Parliament of Malaya/Malaysia from 1957 to 1974

Chairman of the Malayan Railways Commission ,1960

Chairman of the Rhodes Scholarship Board

Chairman of the Fulbright Commission 

 Chairman of the Malaysian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (MAPTB)

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on 12 July 1955 for his services to Malayan education and country and bestowed the title of Knight Bachelor.

In 1950, he was given a Dato (DPMJ) by Sultan Ibrahim of Johore in recognition for his services to Johore and Malaya. 

In 1948 he was given the CBE by King George VI of the United Kingdom.

Source:

 http://umpress.um.edu.my/index.php?productID=653

 http://www.thuraisingham.org/

http://umnews.um.edu.my/highlights-view.php?news_id=246

https://malaysianbossanova.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/always-and-forever-in-memory-sir-dato-e-e-c-thuraisingam/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._C._Thuraisingham