Police expect to arrest a suspect soon in the murder of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin, who was found dead at a Kuala Lumpur hotel last month.
“We expect to make an arrest soon,” Kuala Lumpur police chief CP Datuk Fadil Marsus said.
Investigators are examining the movements of Hsieh and Malaysian rapper Namewee, who was the last person seen with her at 1.40pm in a hotel room on Jalan Conlay on October 22.
“He was later arrested for alleged possession and use of drugs but was released after pleading not guilty to drug-related charges at the Jalan Duta Court on Oct 24,” Fadil said.
The case was initially classified as sudden death, but has since been reclassified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code after suspicious findings.
“Investigations are ongoing from all angles, including individuals who were last with the victim. We will review all movements of both the victim and the suspect to determine whether he is a suspect,” he added.
Hsieh’s death gained wide attention after reports that she had been working on a video project with Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee.
Police have taken statements from hotel staff and security personnel and are reviewing CCTV footage from the airport to the hotel. Hsieh arrived in Malaysia on October 20 and was due to stay until Oct 24.
Post-mortem and toxicology reports are pending, and the cause of death has not been confirmed.
“It is too early to reveal the cause of death. The post-mortem and toxicology reports will give us clearer findings later,” Fadil said. He urged anyone with information to contact police.
Hsieh was found lying in a bathtub at 1.40pm on October 22. Her body was sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem.
On Nov 2, Namewee denied using drugs and being involved in her death.
Yesterday, Hsieh’s manager, identified as Chris, challenged Wee to address questions surrounding her death, saying he had never seen her use drugs. He said he had hired private investigators and contacted the Malaysian police several times, but received conflicting information.
Chris said he initially stayed silent out of respect for the family but was told Hsieh died of cardiac arrest and that the case was considered accidental, contradicting police findings and Namewee’s public statement. “The information we received has been contradictory and inconsistent,” he said.
He accused Namewee of issuing statements inconsistent with police records. “What are you hiding? How much more truth have you left unsaid?” he asked. He questioned the origin of a “suspected drug package” reported by the media and asked whether Hsieh had been “induced, deceived, or forced” to take any substance.
Chris said the family was too grief-stricken to respond and stressed he was acting personally to seek justice. He pledged full cooperation with Malaysian authorities, insisting the public deserved clarity. “You will give a clear account to these questions — there will be no room to evade,” he wrote to Namewee.
Media reports said Hsieh was found in a hotel bathtub while working on a video project with Namewee. He reportedly found her unresponsive at the Banyan Tree Hotel, attempted CPR, and called emergency services at about 12.30pm.
On Sunday, he dismissed drug allegations as “baseless.”
Police said he was arrested with ecstasy pills and later confirmed he was charged under Sections 39A(1) and 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act for possession and use of drugs. He pleaded not guilty and was released on RM4,000 bail for each charge.
At the time of writing, there is no record of Namewee leaving Malaysia.
China Press reported that his father said he has not returned home for two months but phoned recently, asking the family to await the investigation. His father added that Namewee remains in Kuala Lumpur and the family would not accompany him as he is “used to such situations.”