NAMEWEE TURNS HIMSELF IN TO ASSIST PROBE INTO INFLUENCER'S DEATH

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Local rapper Wee Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, surrendered himself to police early this morning to assist in the investigation into the death of a Taiwanese female influencer here last month.

Dang Wangi police chief ACP Sazalee Adam said a remand application would be made for Namewee this morning.

“For your information, Namewee will be remanded this morning,” he said briefly when contacted.

It is understood that the singer turned himself in at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters after arriving from Johor Bahru.

Police had earlier said they were looking for Namewee in connection with the death of the Taiwanese influencer, Hsieh Yun Hsin, who was found dead in the bathroom of a hotel room in Jalan Conlay on Oct 22.

In a Facebook post, Namewee said he turned up voluntarily and was prepared to fully cooperate with the police to clarify the actual situation to the public and the victim’s family.

“I will not run away. On the seven previous occasions when I was called by the authorities, I voluntarily came forward to give my statement. I have never fled,” he said.

Yesterday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus was reported as saying that the case, which was initially classified as sudden death, is now being reclassified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

He said the investigation showed that the musician was the last person with the victim and is considered crucial to the probe.

Media reports said Hsieh’s body was found by the musician at 1.40 pm before being sent to Hospital Kuala Lumpur for a post-mortem.

In the same investigation, Namewee was also detained after police found nine blue pills, believed to be ecstasy, weighing 5.12 grammes in the hotel room.

He was charged in a Kuala Lumpur Court on Oct 24 with drug-related offences.

Police are still awaiting the full post-mortem and toxicology reports to determine the exact cause of death of the 33-year-old woman.

-- BERNAMA