Namewee Arrested Amid Influencer Death Probe

Malaysian rapper Namewee (Wee Meng Chee) was arrested on Oct. 22 and charged with drug use and possession after officers said they found nine pills suspected to be ecstasy in a Kuala Lumpur hotel room where Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh was later found dead in a bathtub. Police say Namewee tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC; he pleaded not guilty at a court appearance on Oct. 24 and was released on bail of RM4,000 for each charge. He faces up to five years’ jail and caning for possession and up to two years’ jail or a fine for the drug-use charge, and the case is set for mention on Dec. 18. Namewee has denied using or possessing drugs and any involvement in Hsieh’s death, saying he found her body and has faced blackmail, and that the “truth will come out” when police reports are released. Hsieh’s cause of death remains under investigation, with some sources citing a heart attack; Malaysian authorities continue to probe the case.