Rapper Released as Investigation Continues
Malaysian rapper Namewee has been granted bail after spending over a week in police custody regarding the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh. The 42-year-old artist, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, was released at 3:45pm local time on Thursday 13th November 2025, according to his lawyer Joshua Tay.
Prosecutor Finds No Evidence of Involvement
In a significant development, Malaysia's attorney-general Dusuki Mokhtar stated that no evidence has been found connecting Namewee to Hsieh's death. "Instructions have been given for further investigation to be conducted. So far, there is no evidence that shows the suspect was involved in causing the influencer's death," he confirmed to Channel News Asia.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus announced that Namewee would be released on police bail until 26th November. The investigation papers will be referred to the Kuala Lumpur deputy public prosecutor's Office once the postmortem report is obtained.
Timeline of Events
The case began when Iris Hsieh, 31, was found dead on 22nd October. She had arrived in Malaysia on 20th October to collaborate with Namewee on a video project. Nearly two weeks after her death, the case was reclassified as a homicide.
Namewee turned himself in early on 5th November to assist with the investigation. According to his account, he discovered Hsieh unresponsive in a bathtub in Kuala Lumpur and immediately administered CPR before calling emergency services around 12:30pm.
The rapper has consistently denied any involvement in Hsieh's death and claimed the "ambulance took nearly an hour to arrive" at the scene.
Separate Drug Charges
In a complicating factor, Namewee faced separate drug-related charges on the same day as Hsieh's death. Police reported finding nine blue pills believed to be ecstasy in his hotel room, and a urine test returned positive for multiple substances including amphetamine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC.
He was charged on 24th October and released on bail for these offences, with the next hearing scheduled for 18th December. Namewee has strongly denied both drug possession and use, stating on Instagram: "I did not take drugs, nor did I possess any. At most, I've just been drinking a little more lately."
Police are still awaiting complete autopsy and toxicology results to determine the exact cause of Hsieh's death. The late influencer, known to her fans as the "nurse goddess," had built a substantial following with over half a million Instagram followers and had previously appeared in Namewee's 2020 music video "China Reggaeton."
