Popular Malaysian Rapper Namwee has been accused of illegal drug use, The City reported on Monday, citing Kuala Lumpur police.
PANGWEEE, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, was released on bail after being arrested last month, authorities said.
The 42-year-old is known for his satirical songs and music videos about Taboo topics in Malaysia, from CHE China’s religious pacifism.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Namwee denied using or carrying drugs.
“The truth will come out when the police report is released,” he wrote.
Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Fadil Marsus said Namwee was arrested on 22 October in a hotel room, where they found pills believed to be ecstasy – also known as MDMA.
Naswee later tested positive for illegal substances – including amphetamines, methamine, and thc – and was praised in a statement.
If convicted of drug possession, he could face up to five years in prison.
A police official said that the local media was in the same hotel at the same time as Iris Hsieh, a Taiwanese influencer who was found dead in her hotel room bathtub.
Namewee wrote on Instagram that she felt “deeply sorry” about Hsieh’s death. The ambulance took “almost an hour” to reach the scene, he wrote.
He said he was keeping quiet about the case being under investigation — it was unclear if he was referring to his drug charges or Hsieh’s death.
He also admitted that he had received “blackmail” in recent days but would “fight to the end”.
Namwee has long battled controversy over his music.
In 2016 he was arrested in Malaysia for his music video oh my God, which was published in various places of worship across the country. Critics say the song insults religious sensitivities.
In 2021, he released a cargo of songs, which mobilized Chinese nationalists and touched on politically sensitive topics such as Taiwan’s sovereignty and the persecution of the Uyghiangs in Xinjiang. The song went viral for Mandarin listening audiences but was banned in China.