Rapper released on bail in probe into influencer’s murder

Malaysian singer Namewee poses as he arrives for the 31th Golden Melody Awards in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Billy Dai)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Popular Chinese Malaysian rapper and filmmaker Wee Meng Chee was released on police bail Thursday after being held for a week to assist in the investigation into the murder of a Taiwanese social media influencer.

The 42-year-old rapper, popularly known as Namewee, must report back to police on Nov. 26, said his lawyer Joshua Tay.

Police said Wee was the last person seen with Hsieh Yu-hsin, a Taiwanese influencer who was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 22. Police last week reclassified her death as murder. Hsieh, 31, had half a million followers on Instagram and also operated an OnlyFans account.

Wee turned himself in last Wednesday. He has also been earlier charged for drug possession and use, allegations he denied.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said in a statement that police was waiting for the autopsy report on Hsieh’s cause of death. Once that is out, he said they will the submit their investigation results to the attorney-general’s chambers for further action.

Fadil has told local media that Wee and Hsieh shared a “special relationship” and were “more than just close friends,” but didn’t elaborate.

Local media cited Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar as saying that there was currently no evidence linking Wee to Hsieh’s death.

A former nurse, Hsieh was known as “Nurse Goddess” by her fans. Police said she arrived in Malaysia on Oct. 20 and was scheduled to stay for four days. She had appeared in one of Wee’s music videos in 2020.

Wee has said he was deeply saddened by Hsieh’s death but denied any wrongdoing. He wrote on Instagram last week that he would cooperate with the investigation to provide answers to the public and Hsieh’s family.

Known for his provocative songs, Wee first drew national attention with his 2007 parody of Malaysia’s national anthem, which sparked widespread controversy. His outspoken lyrics and films often challenge political and cultural taboos, earning him both acclaim and repeated clashes with authorities.

The Associated Press