A famous Malaysian Rapper and Film-Maker, Namwee, has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a Taiwanese woman in Kuala Lumpur.
Hsieh Yu-HSin, 31, a former celebrity nurse who posted under the name nurse goddess, was found dead in a hotel room on 22 October. Police this week ruled his death a homicide, after unspecified new evidence emerged.
Malaysian media reported that the name, whose real name is wee meng chee, called emergency services after HSIEH was found to be unreliable in a Hotel Room Bath Tubs.
Police said they found pills believed to be euphoric, and arrested Namewee that day. He was charged with illegal possession of drugs and released on bail. However, he was detained again on Wednesday to help police investigate the killing after Hsieh’s death. Police did not elaborate on the new evidence, and told local media it would take three months to complete toxicology and autopsy reports.
Namewee’s lawyer Joshua Tay said he will be remanded for six days.
In a statement posted online before his second arrest, Namewee denied any drug-taking, and said he was going to the police “to fully cooperate with the investigation to give the public and the deceased’s family an explanation”. He also denied any wrongdoing in Hsieh’s death.
In his Post, Namwee also accused the local media of sensationalism and “chasing shadows” and criticized the emergency services, saying they arrived at the hotel an hour after he called them. He also claimed that unnamed others were trying to push him.
Namwee is a famous artist in Malaysia, Taiwan and China, who has faced controversy on several occasions in his political work. China clothed him in songs criticizing authoritarian governments and nationalist attitudes. In 2023 he is also banned from performing in Hong Kong. Early in his career, when he was studying in Taiwan, Namwee inspired a backlash over a song of the Malaysian National Anthem, and since someone is censored at work In the allegations he criticized the Malaysian government, or Islam.
Hsieh was reportedly in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video directed by Namwee. Hsieh was previously featured in a named Music Video, for his song China Regwageton in 2020. Previously an online nurse, with over 1.5 million followers across Instagram, x and lights.
A statement on Hsieh’s Loursfans account written by his assistant with the permission of Hsieh’s family, asked them for privacy or “refrain from excessive speculation or commenting on social media”.
“I am deeply saddened by this sad news,” he wrote.
“In my eyes, YU-HSIN is not only a creative woman who loves photography, but also my boss and best friend.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it had reached out to Hsieh’s family and informed them of the development. “Due to privacy concerns, MOFA has chosen not to issue any public statements in response to the issue,” it said.
Additional Research By Jason Tazu Kuan Lu and Lillian Yang