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Ushar Daniele

A Malaysian court on Monday granted rapper Namewee a full acquittal from his drug use charge after the prosecution presented a negative urine test in court.
Namewee’s lawyer, Joshua Tay, confirmed the acquittal with This Week in Asia.
Tay told the Kuala Lumpur magistrates’ court that since the pathology report was negative, there was no prospect of recharging his client, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee.
“The appropriate order should be a discharge and acquittal,” Tay said.
Magistrate S Arunjothy made the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Amritpreet Kaur Randhawa informed the court that the pathology results were negative and the prosecution had withdrawn the charge.
“The court acquits and discharges the accused from the charge, and the bail money is returned,” Arunjothy said, referring to the bail of 2,000 ringgit (US$490).
Namewee, however, is still facing a charge for drug possession.
The court has fixed the case management for that charge on January 19.

Namewee is still under investigation following the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, who was found in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur on October 22.
Following the discovery of Hsieh’s body, Namewee surrendered to the police and was subsequently arrested and charged on November 5.
On November 13, attorney-general Dusuki Mokhtar said the 42-year-old Malaysian would be released on police bail as the prosecution had found no evidence linking him to Hsieh’s death.
On December 13, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said the rapper could remain under police bail for months as investigators awaited results of Hsieh’s toxicology and postmortem results.
“The investigations will continue until we get the results. We will keep extending his bail until then,” he told reporters.
Hsieh, a former nurse, arrived in Malaysia on October 20 to reportedly work on a new video project with Namewee. Dubbed the “Nurse Goddess”, the 31-year-old influencer had a huge following on TikTok and OnlyFans.


Hsieh’s remains are still in Malaysia, according to her publicist, and her family members have appointed a lawyer to handle investigations in Malaysia as they are too sick to travel.
Namewee has had multiple run-ins with Malaysian police for his controversial videos.
Known for his politically charged content with millions of fans over the years, Namewee rose to fame in 2007 after posting his music videos on social media.
He has acted in films including Friend Zone and Nasi Lemak 1.0, and received a writer-director credit for the banned 2020 film Babi.
In 2021, the Johor-born rapper released “Fragile”, a song poking fun at Chinese nationalists. The song went viral among Mandarin-speaking audiences but was prohibited by Chinese authorities within days, leading to his ban in China.


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Malaysia

Malaysian rapper Namewee has been under investigation for drug-related charges and over the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Handout

Malaysian police are still investigating the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, who was earlier sharing a Kuala Lumpur hotel room with Malaysian rapper Namewee. Photo: Instagram/irisirisss900

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex on Monday. Photo: AP

Supporters of Malaysia’s jailed former prime minister Najib Razak wait outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court during a court hearing on Monday. Photo: AFP

Former Malaysia prime minister Najib Razak arrives at Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday. Photo: EPA

Hulk smash? Malaysian officer rips car door off hinges while chasing suspect

A Malaysian police officer is seen wrenching a suspect’s car door open with his bare hands in a dashcam video that has gone viral. Photo: TikTok/Mazmar93

Malaysian religious authorities probe viral claim of woman having ‘2 husbands’

Images shared on social media purporting to show a couple seated before religious officials, which were cited in a Facebook post alleging a woman had married a second man in Thailand. The claims are under investigation by Malaysian religious authorities. Photo: Facebook / Ekin Derahim

A Malaysian man speaks with his four wives at their home in Putrajaya, near Kuala Lumpur, in 2010. Polygamy is permitted for Muslim men in Malaysia with approval from a sharia court. Photo: AFP

Anwar’s coalition revives Malaysian Chinese school certification debate, sparking row

Students create a long scroll in Kelang, Selangor state. A proposal for the Malaysian government’s recognition of school leaving certificates issued by private Chinese high schools has sparked a row in the ruling coalition. Photo: Xinhua

School children waving Malaysian flags. Members of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition have renewed a push for government recognition of school leaving certificates issued by private Chinese high schools. Photo : Malaysian Chinese Association

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking at the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur in October. Photo: Reuters

The appointment of Hannah Yeoh as a minister in the prime minister’s department (Federal Territories) has triggered concerns among some Malay politicians. Photo: handout

Malaysia’s Anwar vows ‘no protection’ for close aides in corruption investigations

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (right) with his former senior political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin. Photo: Handout

Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin resigned last week. Photo: Handout

Farhash Wafa Salvador was a senior aide to the prime minister. Photo: Handout

This Week in Asia

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Southeast Asia

The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer


The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer.


Malaysian rapper Namewee acquitted of drug use charge after negative test

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer

The 42-year-old still faces a drug possession charge and remains under investigation following the death of a Taiwanese influencer