KUALA LUMPUR: The death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin - a case which has been linked to controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee - has been reclassified as murder.
"The body of a Chinese woman discovered on Oct 22 … was initially classified as sudden death, but we have since reclassified it under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder," said Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 4).
Hsieh - known as the “nurse goddess” by her fans for her looks and background in nursing - was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Malaysia on Oct 22 while reportedly working on a video project with Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee.
Wee, 42, had reportedly found Hsieh, 31, unresponsive in the bathroom and administered CPR, before contacting emergency services at 12.30pm.
Speaking to reporters later on Tuesday at an event, Fadil said the police were seeking to call in an individual to assist in the murder probe for being the last person with Hsieh before her death, reported local news portal New Straits Times (NST).
"For now, we regard this person who was last with the victim as being involved in the case," NST quoted Fadil as saying.
"We will be calling him in to assist in the investigation... depending on the findings, we will decide whether he should be treated as a suspect," he said.
Several Malaysian media outlets reported that Fadil had identified the individual as Wee. But the police chief did not appear to have done so in his comments to reporters, according to recordings obtained by CNA.
Fadil also said that police expect to make an arrest “soon”, adding that statements have been recorded from several individuals linked to the case, according to news outlet The Star.
“It is a comprehensive investigation involving staff, hotel, security and travel details … everything is being examined thoroughly,” said Fadil, as quoted by The Star.
Giving more details about the case, the KL police chief said Hsieh had arrived in Malaysia on Oct 20 and was scheduled to stay until Oct 24.
He added that postmortem and toxicology reports are pending, and that the cause of death remains under investigation.
“Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the police,” Fadil said.
The reclassification of the case to murder comes a day after Fadli confirmed that Wee was charged with drug use and possession on Oct 24.
Police said they found nine blue pills suspected to be ecstasy during a check of his hotel room on Oct 22. Wee later tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC, the chemical compound in cannabis, in a urine screening.
Wee had earlier denied committing the drug offences nor any involvement in Hsieh’s death.
In a statement on Nov 2 on Instagram, Wee expressed confidence that the police investigation would reveal the truth.
"I did not take drugs, nor did I possess any. At most, I've just been drinking a little more lately. Those who believe me will do so; those who don't, won't,” he said.
In his statement, Wee expressed his condolences over Hsieh's death, while suggesting that the emergency response was tardy.
"The ambulance took nearly an hour to arrive - I honestly don't know what the point of calling 999. When I called to ask, I even got scolded," he claimed.
Wee, who first achieved fame in 2007 after his rap parody of the Malaysian national anthem went viral, is known for being one of Malaysia’s most controversial artists.
His songs frequently feature political satire, including criticism of the Chinese government.
If convicted of drug possession, Wee faces up to five years’ jail and nine strokes of the cane. If convicted of drug use, he faces up to two years’ jail.
