Man who killed son-in-law in 2017 Boon Tat Street incident dies
Mr Tan Nam Seng died on Aug 10, according to his obituary that was published in The Straits Times on Aug 12.
He was 80 years old.
His daughter, Ms Shyller Tan, told ST that he had a heart attack in his sleep and died peacefully at home.
She said: "My dad had been in poor health but always in great spirits. We celebrated National Day together (and) brought him out for meals; he looked well and all.
"We would like to thank everyone who walked the great journey of life with our dad. Friends who have never left his side, as well as strangers who came to his aid without qualms," added Ms Tan.
An Instagram page maintained by Ms Tan had documented Mr Tan's activities after he was released from prison. The first post was dated April 1, 2023.
Over 90 posts till July 8 captured a white-haired Mr Tan going about his daily life, including shopping, having meals with his friends and family, and visiting the doctor.
Some pictures show him on overseas trips and enjoying festivities such as Chinese New Year with his family.
Mr Tan was convicted in 2020 of culpable homicide for stabbing his son-in-law, Mr Spencer Tuppani, in the chest three times outside a Telok Ayer Street coffee shop in July 2017.
Mr Tan could be seen going out for meals, overseas trips and meeting friends and family in the posts. PHOTOS: TAN.NAMSENG/INSTAGRAM
Mr Tan was upset with Mr Tuppani for the way he treated his daughter Shyller. He also believed his son-in-law had cheated him of his shipping business.
Closed-circuit television footage of the incident showed Mr Tan kicking Mr Tuppani twice in the face and chasing passers-by away.
When Mr Tuppani collapsed in Boon Tat Street, Mr Tan told passers-by: "This is my son-in-law, don't help him, let him die."
He was initially charged with murder, but this was reduced after a psychiatric report said his depression had impaired his mental responsibility for his actions.
In 2020, Mr Tan was sentenced to 8½ years' jail, but was released in 2023 after his jail term was backdated to the date of his arrest and with one-third remission.
In 2023, Ms Tan, her sister Sherry Tan and Mr Tuppani's first wife Felicia Keh launched a civil suit against Mr Tuppani's parents to recover a luxury watch he was wearing when he was killed, but lost.
They had sought to get back the Richard Mille watch or, alternatively, a sum of $389,205.13.
Mr Tan leaves behind a son, four daughters and four grandchildren.
Mr Tuppani's name was not mentioned in Mr Tan's obituary.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
War crimes likely committed in Syria's coastal massacres, UN commission says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and government forces, in Syria July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi/File Photo GENEVA - War crimes were likely committed by interim government forces as well as by fighters loyal to Syria's former rulers during sectarian violence that culminated in a series of massacres in March, U.N. investigators said on Thursday. Some 1,400 people, mainly civilians, were reported killed during the violence in coastal areas that primarily targeted Alawites, and reports of violations such as abductions continue, according to a report by the U.N. Syria Commission of Inquiry. "The scale and brutality of the violence documented in our report is deeply disturbing," said Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, in a statement released with the report. Murder, torture and inhumane acts related to the treatment of the dead were documented by the U.N. team, which based its 56-page report on more than 200 interviews with victims and witnesses as well as visits to three mass grave sites. Most victims were Alawite men aged between 20-50 but women, and children as young as one, were also killed, the report said. Sometimes the killers, who went door to door looking for members of Assad's minority Alawite sect, filmed the executions themselves, it said. Perpetrators were members of the interim government forces as well as private individuals operating or in proximity to them. Fighters loyal to the ousted Assad government also committed violations, it said. The report is not all-encompassing since incidents in Homs, Latakia and Tartus are still being investigated by the commission, set up by the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2011. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council carries out restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Opinion Could telco consolidation spell the end of attractive mobile plans? Singapore Change in law proposed to pave the way for public-private sector data sharing Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength The incidents along the coast were the worst violence to hit Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last year, prompting the interim government to appoint a fact-finding committee. "The Syrian Arab Republic values these efforts and reaffirms its commitment to incorporating the recommendations into the ongoing process of institution-building and the consolidation of the rule of law in the new Syria," Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani said in a letter responding to the report, which it said aligned with its own findings. There was no immediate public comment from former Syrian officials, many of whom have left the country. U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack welcomed the report and said it was a "serious step" towards assessing responsibility for violations. The administration of President Donald Trump is gradually lifting Syria sanctions dating back to Assad's rule. A Reuters investigation last month found nearly 1,500 Syrian Alawites had been killed and identified a chain of command from the attackers directly to men who serve alongside Syria's new leaders. New Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has previously denounced the violence as a threat to his mission to unite the country and promised to punish those responsible. The commission acknowledged in its report the commitment of Syria's interim authorities to identify those responsible but said the scale of the violence warranted further steps. "Guarantees of non-repetition of the violations should be at the heart of Syria's transition," the report said. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Attack on my son is ‘a warning' to silence me, says Malaysian MP Rafizi Ramli
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Former Malaysian Cabinet minister Rafizi Ramli (centre) said the attack was 'a warning to me not to speak out on certain issues'. KUALA LUMPUR – The wife of former Malaysian Cabinet minister Rafizi Ramli received two chilling messages just hours after a shocking attack on their son on Aug 13 in broad daylight. One of the WhatsApp messages read: 'Diam! Andai teruskan, Aids! (Shut up! If you continue, Aids!)' It was followed by three syringe emojis. The MP from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which leads Malaysia's governing coalition, said the attack on his family was 'a warning to me not to speak out on certain issues'. 'While I will take steps to enhance security measures, I will not bow to any threats and will continue to carry out my duties as usual,' Datuk Seri Rafizi, 47, said at a press conference on Aug 14 at the Parliament lobby, surrounded by several PKR lawmakers. He has been using a weekly podcast and social media postings to lash out about corruption and governance issues in the last few weeks, after resigning as economy minister in May . The brazen attack on his 12-year-old son, carried out at about 1.45pm at a mall carpark in Putrajaya equipped with CCTV cameras, sent Malaysia reeling. This is because politically linked physical attacks are rare, despite the rough-and-tumble nature of domestic politics – and it is even more alarming this time as it involves a child. 'Blood in politics has been here for quite some time,' Professor Kartini Aboo Talib, a lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, told The Straits Times. 'However, violent attacks targeting young children... this is the first time ever.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council carries out restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Opinion Could telco consolidation spell the end of attractive mobile plans? Singapore Change in law proposed to pave the way for public-private sector data sharing Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength She was referring to the murder of a political rival in the 1980s by former Cabinet minister Mokhtar Hashim, the gruesome death of politician Mazlan Idris at the hands of bomoh Mona Fandey in 1993, and the unresolved killing in 2004 of Sabah lawmaker Norjan Khan Bahadar. Malaysians are already up in arms over the tragic death of a 13-year-old Sabah student on July 17, which has sparked national outrage and street protests. The authorities, who have been accused on social media of a cover-up, have been grappling with resolving the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a victim of suspected bullying in school. In the attack on Mr Rafizi's son, the boy and his mother were getting into their car to leave the shopping centre when the child was grabbed by an unknown assailant and jabbed with a syringe. CCTV footage showed that two men on a motorcycle had been trailing his wife's car. The duo was dressed entirely in black and wore full-face helmets. 'They had waited earlier and rushed to attack my son at the right moment,' Mr Rafizi said in a statement on Aug 13. His son was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. The boy's condition is stable and doctors are trying to ascertain the contents of the syringe, he said at the press conference. 'It could be poison, drugs or viruses such as HIV, or just water. The process to find out what was injected into my son will take a few months but the first 24 hours is critical,' he noted. 'He will need to do blood tests for the next six months until we can rule out that he is safe. Currently he is under observation and he is not showing any symptoms. As a father, I think we can rule out poison,' he added, saying his son is in good spirits. Mr Rafizi, through his social media platforms, has alleged that several well-known figures were involved in possible graft and urged the government to carry out investigations. Well known for his tough stance against corruption during his two decades as an opposition politician, Mr Rafizi had largely kept quiet on corruption and governance issues in the past two years as he was a member of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. But he began to speak out openly again after resigning from his Cabinet post, shortly after losing PKR's deputy presidency in its triennial election held on May 23. Mr Rafizi told the Aug 14 news conference that the attack on his only child occurred a few days after he met a group of whistleblowers over a scandal, which he declined to detail. 'This is a message telling me to back off. Last week, there was a group of whistleblowers who came to see me about a scandal. The culprit behind this attack knows that once I find a scandal, I will dig and dig and dig,' he said. Datuk Seri Anwar on Aug 14 condemned the syringe attack as a 'worrying and harmful' trend in the country, and said a thorough and transparent investigation would be carried out. 'I would like to express my sadness as we're seeing an extreme and harmful culture. We are seeing issues of bullying, and now the child of a Member of Parliament has been targeted.' The opposition is also standing with Mr Rafizi. Opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional's chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement on Aug 13 that what happened was a criminal act completely unacceptable in a civilised country. 'If it is true that the attack is a warning to stop Mr Rafizi from speaking out on certain matters, then this incident signals thuggish political behaviour that is a threat to the country's democracy. 'Political differences should never be translated to threats and physical violence, especially when it involves children,' he said. Singapore Institute of International Affairs Senior Fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said: 'The real question is perhaps which particular parties are sending out such a warning, as Mr Rafizi has revealed many scandals in his political career, perhaps inadvertently stepping on many toes.'
Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Teen charged over possession of three etomidate-laced Kpods in Potong Pasir flat
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Besides vaping-related offences, the teenager is also accused of pushing an alleged male victim and pulling his hair outside a school. SINGAPORE – A teenager was charged on Aug 14 after he was found with allegedly three etomidate-laced Kpods in a Potong Pasir Housing Board flat on March 6. Kpods are vapes that contain vape juice mixed with potent ingredients such as etomidate or ketamine. Used in hospitals to induce sedation during medical procedures, etomidate is meant to be injected into the veins under clinical supervision and is never intended to be inhaled. When vaped, it enters the lungs directly and may trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis. The 19-year-old youth is also accused of having three disposable vaporisers in the same flat that day. Court documents stated that he allegedly had a vaporiser there on Jan 17, 2022. The teenager was charged with four vaping-related offences on Aug 14. He was earlier handed 14 other charges for offences including assault and methamphetamine consumption. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council conducts restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Opinion Could telco consolidation spell the end of attractive mobile plans? Singapore Change in law proposed to pave the way for public-private sector data sharing Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength He cannot be named as he was below 18 years old when he allegedly committed some of his offences. He was just 16 years old on April 24, 2022, when he purportedly had an e-cigarette device in Bayfront Link. In September 2023, he allegedly published an advertisement on Instagram showing multiple vaping items for sale, including one resembling a cassette tape. He is accused of being in possession of four disposable e-cigarette devices in the Potong Pasir flat the following month. Besides vaping-related offences, the teenager is also accused of pushing an alleged male victim and pulling his hair outside a school on Sept 16, 2023. The youth is also said to have consumed methamphetamine on or before June 4, 2024. Between May and June that year, he allegedly showed knuckle dusters for sale on messaging platform Telegram. He was in Woodlands Avenue 1 in the wee hours of June 4, 2024, when he purportedly had five knuckle dusters and two bottles of pepper spray. The teenager, who was said to have a provisional driving licence, is also accused of unlawfully riding a motorcycle along Bidadari Park Drive shortly before 6.40pm in July that year. Among other things, he allegedly rode the vehicle without the supervision of a person holding an instructor's licence. Separately, the youth was in the Potong Pasir flat when he allegedly had a knuckle duster on March 6, 2025. His pretrial conference will take place on Aug 18. To report vaping-related offences, call the Health Sciences Authority hotline on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, including public holidays. Reports can also be made online at
