Malaysian Rapper Namewee Detained in Probe After Death of Taiwanese Influencer Iris Hsieh — Autopsy Pending

Malaysian rapper Namewee detained in connection with influencer's death

Malaysian authorities on Wednesday detained rapper Namewee (legal name Wee Meng Chee), 42, as part of the investigation into the Oct. 22 death of Taiwanese social media personality Iris Hsieh (Hsieh Yu-hsin), 31. Hsieh was found in a bathtub at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Hsieh, a former nurse who had more than 500,000 followers on Instagram and maintained an OnlyFans account, was discovered on Oct. 22. Officials say her cause of death has not yet been determined and investigators are awaiting full autopsy and toxicology results.

Police say Namewee was the last person known to have seen Hsieh alive. Dang Wangi police chief Sazalee Adam said Wee will remain in custody until Nov. 10 while inquiries continue.

Wee wrote in Chinese on Instagram, quoted by The Straits Times: "I will fully assist the police in their investigations, and be accountable to the public and the family of the deceased. I will not run."

Wee told authorities he traveled from Johor Bahru to meet police at the Dang Wangi station in central Kuala Lumpur and said he is cooperating with investigators.

Background

Namewee is a high-profile but controversial figure in the music scene. In 2016 he was arrested following complaints that his music video "Oh My God" disrespected Islam. In 2021 he released a song with Australian singer Kimberly Chen that criticized Chinese nationalists and referenced Taiwanese sovereignty; both artists were later banned from mainland China and the track was removed from Chinese platforms, Sky News reported.

No charges have been announced. Authorities have urged the public to await the results of forensic testing as the investigation continues.