Kuala lumpur: Police in Malaysia are seeking the arrest of rapper Namewee in connection with the "murder" of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, who was found dead at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur last month, Malaysian media reported Tuesday. According to a report in the English-language Malay Mail, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus stated that the case, initially investigated as a sudden death, had been upgraded to a murder investigation under Malaysia's Penal Code.
According to Focus Taiwan, Fadil expressed that investigators "expect to make an arrest soon," as reported by Malay Mail, while the Chinese-language "China Press" news site indicated that a warrant had been issued for Namewee's arrest. Malaysian media detailed that emergency services were summoned to a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 22 to assist a Taiwanese woman who had lost consciousness in a guest room.
Namewee was arrested at the hotel and subsequently charged with drug possession and use. The Malay Mail report specified that nine ecstasy pills were found on Namewee's person, and he tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC. Namewee pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bail, with a procedural court hearing originally scheduled for Dec. 18.
Hsieh's death gained increased media attention following reports over the previous weekend that she had been collaborating on a video project with Namewee at the time of her death. On Sunday, Namewee issued a statement on his Facebook page, asserting he had not used or possessed drugs and was the victim of blackmail, the specifics of which he was not yet able to disclose.
He further claimed that the ambulance called for Hsieh took nearly an hour to arrive at the hotel, a claim later refuted by Malaysia's health ministry, which stated the ambulance arrived in 26 minutes. As of Tuesday, Malaysian authorities awaited post-mortem and toxicology reports to ascertain Hsieh's cause of death, local media reports stated.
According to other anonymously sourced Malaysian media reports, Hsieh, 31, was discovered in the hotel room's bathtub, which was dry and appeared unused. The unconfirmed reports also mentioned that as emergency responders reached the hotel, Namewee attempted to leave the scene but was stopped near the elevators.
Namewee, 42, is recognized for his comments and songs on sensitive social and political issues. Born and raised in Malaysia, he gained fame in Taiwan in 2022 when his song "Fragile," a Mandarin ballad satirizing nationalistic Chinese internet users, was removed from music streaming services in China one day after its release. A graduate of Taiwan's Ming Chuan University, Namewee has been nominated three times for best Mandarin male singer at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards.
When asked about the case on Tuesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed CNA that after learning of Hsieh's death, its representative office in Malaysia notified her family and is assisting with follow-up arrangements. The ministry declined to provide further details on the case to maintain privacy and respect for Hsieh's family.