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Malaysian rapper Namewee remanded in murder investigation after influencer's hotel death
Kuala Lumpur authorities have remanded controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee for six days as part of a murder investigation into the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, whose body was discovered in a hotel bathtub on October 22, police confirmed Wednesday.
Namewee, 42, whose legal name is Wee Meng Chee, was the last person seen with Hsieh, 31, before her death, according to investigators. He surrendered to police early Wednesday after initially being arrested on drug-related charges following the discovery of Hsieh's body.
Timeline of events
On October 22, Namewee contacted emergency services at 12:30 local time (05:30 GMT) after finding Hsieh unresponsive in the bathroom of a Kuala Lumpur hotel room, Malaysian media reported. Police arrived to find nine blue pills-suspected to be ecstasy-inside the room, leading to Namewee's arrest on drug possession charges.
Though he denied drug use, toxicology reports later revealed traces of amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC in his system. On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the drug charges and was released on bail-only to be re-detained Wednesday after authorities reclassified Hsieh's death as a homicide.
"I won't run away. I will fully cooperate with the police to provide answers to the public and the bereaved family."
Namewee, in an Instagram video posted early Wednesday
Investigation shifts to murder
Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus told reporters Tuesday that Namewee had "gone into hiding" after the case was escalated from a "sudden death" to murder. Authorities are now awaiting post-mortem and toxicology results to determine the exact cause of Hsieh's death.
Hsieh, a social media personality with 545,000 Instagram followers, had traveled to Malaysia to discuss a commercial video project with Namewee, her social media manager told the BBC. Known as the "nurse goddess" by fans, Hsieh had previously appeared in Namewee's 2020 music video for China Reggaeton.
Namewee's controversial career
A polarizing figure in Mandarin-speaking pop culture, Namewee has built a career on provocative, satirical music that often pushes boundaries. With 3.6 million YouTube subscribers and 856,000 Instagram followers, his work has repeatedly drawn legal scrutiny:
- 2007: Arrested for a parody of Malaysia's national anthem, Negaraku, which mocked the government. Charges were dropped after a public apology.
- 2016: Jailed for four days over the music video Oh My God, which authorities claimed insulted Islam.
- 2021: His song Fragile, critiquing Chinese nationalism, was banned in China but went viral among Mandarin audiences.
In a 2021 BBC interview, Namewee acknowledged his reputation for controversy: "Some people think my work is always crossing the red line. Sometimes I intend to do so... If I think more people should know about certain issues, I want more people to care."
Victim's background and family response
Hsieh, a nursing graduate from Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, gained internet fame around 2019 and released a photo album, Angel Heart, in 2020. Her Instagram account-her fifth, after four prior suspensions for "adult sexual solicitation"-showcased modeling content, while she also maintained an OnlyFans account since 2022.
Her family, unable to travel to Malaysia due to "severe disabilities," has hired local legal representatives, her social media manager told the BBC. Namewee, meanwhile, has accused local media of "chasing shadows" in their coverage of the case.
What's next
Police have six days to question Namewee under remand. The case hinges on pending forensic reports, with authorities offering no further details on potential motives or suspects beyond confirming the murder reclassification.
