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A. J. Braga - Wikipedia

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A. J. Braga
Braga in 1963

Minister for Health
In office 6 April 1955 – 3 June 1959
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Ahmad Ibrahim
Member of Parliament for Katong SMC
In office 6 April 1955 – 5 June 1959
Preceded by	John Laycock
Succeeded by	Joseph Francis De Conceicao

Personal details
Born	Armand Joseph Braga (1900-06-10)June 10, 1900 Singapore
Died	November 7, 1968(1968-11-07) (aged 68) Lloyd Gardens, Singapore
Domestic partner(s)	Mona Patricia Braga (m. 1931–1948) Amy Wong (m. 1949)
Children	2; including Myrna
Alma mater	St. Joseph's Institution

Armand Joseph Braga (10 June 1900 – 7 November 1968) was a Singaporean politician and lawyer who served as the first Minister for Health between 1955 and 1959 and was a member of Labour Front. He was a part of the first Legislative Assembly of Singapore, representing Katong Constituency.

Early life and education

Braga was born in Singapore to Joseph Vicente Braga and Bertha Asmus, an established Eurasian family from Macao. He completed his secondary education at St. Joseph's Institution, Singapore and St. Joseph's School in Hong Kong.^[1]

Braga's father then sent him to Queen's College, University of Hong Kong, to study medicine. However, Braga preferred law and left the university to become a clerk to an articled lawyer in the British colony from 1918 to 1921.^[1] He later went to London to study law and was called to the Bar in May 1927 and admitted to Middle Temple in 1927.^[2]

Career

Law career

Braga later returned to Singapore, and from 1935 to 1942, Braga was the senior municipal commissioner, having served three terms.^[3] After the war, Braga decided to commit himself to serving the people of Singapore and its independence.^[4]

Political career

During the 1955 general election, Braga won the election and was elected as the Member of Parliament for Katong.^[5]

In 1955, Braga was a member of the first Council of Ministers under the Rendel Constitution and served as the first Minister of Health in the Labour Front government, having served under both David Marshall and Lim Yew Hock.^[6] He was also elected to the Legislative Assembly of Singapore and helped expand the facilities to train nurses in Singapore. In 1956, Braga went to London under the 13-party mission led by Marshall for the Merdeka Talks, which led to internal self-governance.^[4]

In 1957, allegations of corruption in Singapore hospitals were investigated, with Braga stating that "Hospital graft is being probed".^[7] In 1958, Braga and his wife went to Tokyo.^[8]

In 1959, Braga opened the new Toa Payoh Hospital, costing S$4.1 million.^[9] Braga stated that he would not contest the Mountbatten Division in the 1959 general election because of ill-health.^[10]

After the Pulau Senang riots, Braga was one of 9 lawyers representing the 59 Palau Senang prisoners.^[11]

Personal life

In 1931, Braga married his first wife, Mona Patricia Braga.^[12] In 1934, Braga was involved in a car accident at the junction of Orchard and Cairnhill roads. His car was turned over with him, his wife, and his syce, inside. Braga received a wound on his forehead.^[13]

In 1948, Braga divorced his wife after she stated that he had allegedly participated in adultery. He argued back that Mona had also committed adultery with Naval Commander John Fry.^[12] In 1949, Braga married his second wife, Amy Wong.^[14]

Braga has two daughters, Patricia Anne Braga (1931–1948)^[15] and Myrna Braga-Blake (1935–2019).^[12]

Death

On 7 November 1968, Braga was found dead after he collapsed and died at his house in Lloyd Gardens at approximately 9pm.^[16]

References

^ ^a ^b "NEW SINGAPORE COMMISSIONER". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 11 July 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ A Pereira, Alexius; Braga-blake, Myrna; Ebert-oehlers, Ann (21 December 2016). Singapore Eurasians: Memories, Hopes And Dreams. World Scientific. p. 126. ISBN 978-981-310-961-2.
^ Corfield, Justin (2 December 2010). Historical Dictionary of Singapore (77th ed.). Scarecrow Press. pp. 41–42. ISBN 9780810871847.
^ ^a ^b Pereira, A Pereira; Braga-blake, Myrna; Ebert-oehlers, Ann (21 December 2016). Singapore Eurasians: Memories, Hopes And Dreams. World Scientific. p. 127. ISBN 978-981-310-961-2.
^ "ELECTION FEVER RISING IN GO-AHEAD KATONG". The Singapore Free Press. 14 March 1955. p. 5. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "MARSHALL NAMES HIS TEAM". The Straits Budget. 14 April 1955. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "Hospital graft is being probed, says Braga". The Straits Budget. 29 August 1957. p. 11. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "Braga goes shopping on Tokyo holiday". The Straits Times. 11 November 1958. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "NEW HOSPITAL IS 11 DAYS AWAY". The Straits Times. 8 May 1959. p. 4. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "III-health will keep Braga out of polls". The Straits Times. 22 April 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "RIOTS IN SENANG DIRECTED AGAINST GOVT: JAMES". The Straits Times. 21 November 1963. p. 11. Retrieved 20 April 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Adultery Charges In Divorce Case". Malaya Tribune. 13 July 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
^ "LOCAL SOLICITOR IN MOTOR SMASH". The Straits Times. 6 September 1934. p. 16. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "SINGAPORE WEDDING". The Straits Budget. 31 March 1949. p. 9. Retrieved 9 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "Drowning Of Miss P. Braga". The Straits Times. 13 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2024 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "EX-MINISTER BRAGA DIES". The Straits Times. 7 November 1968. p. 8. Retrieved 20 April 2024 – via NewspaperSG.

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