Investigation into Influencer's Death Leads to Arrest of Controversial Rapper Namewee
Getty ImagesControversial Malaysian rapper Namewee has been remanded in custody in connection with the death of a Taiwanese influencer found dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub two weeks ago.
Police say Namewee, 42, was the last person seen with 31-year-old Iris Hsieh, who was in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video Namewee had agreed to direct, her social media manager reported.
Namewee, who denies charges of illegal drug use and possession for which he was granted bail, is now back in custody to assist in the investigation, as police have reclassified her death as murder.
He turned himself in early on Wednesday, according to his lawyer, and has been put on remand for six days.
'I won't run away'
According to Malaysian media reports, Namewee contacted emergency services at 12:30 local time on 22 October, after he found Hsieh unresponsive in the bathroom.
Police arrested Namewee that same day, after they discovered nine pills believed to be ecstasy in the hotel room.
Despite his denials of drug use, Namewee tested positive for several illicit substances, including amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC, according to police reports.
He pleaded not guilty to drug charges and was released on bail on Monday.
Maintaining his innocence, Namewee accused local media of exaggerating their reports on the case.
The singer has a strong following, with 3.6m YouTube subscribers and 856,000 Instagram followers, and is particularly popular in Taiwan and China.
Hsieh had appeared in one of Namewee's music videos, China Reggaeton, released in January 2020.
On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur's police chief stated that Namewee had gone into hiding following the reclassification of Hsieh's death from a sudden death to murder.
They are currently awaiting post-mortem results to ascertain the cause of death.
On Wednesday morning, Namewee shared a video on Instagram announcing his arrival at the police station, emphasizing his intention to cooperate fully with the authorities.
I won't run away, he stated.
Who is Namewee?
Namewee, real name Wee Meng Chee, is known for his provocative style and long history of controversy.
He gained infamy in 2007 with a parody of Malaysia's national anthem that criticized governance, leading to the authorities considering charges against him which did not advance after he issued a public apology.
In 2016, he was detained for a song that allegedly offended religious sentiments, and his tracks often address sensitive socio-political issues.
He has collaborated with various artists and has ventured into filmmaking, receiving both accolades and criticism for his works.
Who is Iris Hsieh?
Hsieh was not as widely known as Namewee but had a notable social media presence as the nurse goddess, with approximately 545,000 Instagram followers.
She garnered attention in 2019 and launched an account on OnlyFans in 2022.
Her family could not travel to Malaysia for the case and have employed legal counsel to handle matters on their behalf.
