Malaysian rapper Namewee’s remand extended to Nov 13 amid Taiwanese influencer murder probe
Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, has been in remand since turning himself in to the police on Nov 5.
Malaysian rapper Namewee (left) and late Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin. (Photos: Instagram/namewee, irisirisss900)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian rapper Namewee will remain in detention after his remand was extended by another three days, as police continue their murder probe into the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin.
Namewee's remand has been extended to Nov 13, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said in a statement on Monday (Nov 10). His lawyer Joshua Tay earlier confirmed the date with CNA.
Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, turned himself in to the police on Nov 5.
Local news outlet The Star quoted Tay as saying that his client is healthy and in good spirits.
“As of now, what I can say is that the police have said that their investigations have not been completed,” Tay was quoted as telling the media outside the Dang Wangi police headquarters.
Wee’s initial remand was due to end on Nov 10, but local media had cited the police as saying a day earlier that they would be applying for an extension.
“Yes, we will apply for an extension on Monday,” Dang Wangi district police chief Sazalee Adam was quoted as saying by The Star on Sunday.
Reports have suggested that it will take up to three months before the toxicology and post-mortem examination reports on Hsieh are completed.
“I will fully cooperate with the police investigation to give an explanation to the public and the deceased’s family,” Wee wrote in an Instagram post in the early hours of Nov 5.
"I will not run away, in the past when I was wanted (by the police), I voluntarily reported myself each time and never fled.”
Hsieh, 31, was known as “nurse goddess” by her fans for her looks and background in nursing. She was found dead in a hotel bathtub at Jalan Conlay in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 22 while reportedly working on a video project with Wee.
Wee, 42, had reportedly found Hsieh unresponsive in the bathroom and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation, before contacting emergency services at 12.30pm.
The case was reclassified as murder on Nov 4 after being initially classified as sudden death.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution has said authorities followed strict procedures in investigating Hsieh’s death, amid questions raised about the delay in reclassifying the case as murder.
“The process is based on the evidence and information collected. The goal is to uncover the truth and ensure justice is upheld,” Saifuddin was quoted as saying on Nov 6 by local news outlet Free Malaysia Today.
Before turning himself in, Wee had been out on bail after being charged on Oct 24 with drug use and possession.
Wee is a Malaysian rapper and composer who has long courted controversy with his music. His songs have touched on issues such as government inefficiency, unequal treatment and corruption.
Hsieh was an influencer from Taichung city in Taiwan. She had about 545,000 followers on Instagram and 349,000 on Facebook, and often posted provocative content.
A murder charge in Malaysia carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
Additional reporting by Rashvinjeet S Bedi
