Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police followed proper procedures in investigating the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin, whose case has now been reclassified as murder.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday (Nov 6), Saifuddin explained that police must first gather information before deciding how to classify a case. “When an incident happens, the first step for the police is to classify the case, under which Act and which section. Then they will discuss the direction of the investigation,” he said, as quoted by New Straits Times.
Saifuddin said the reclassification was based on evidence and witness statements collected during the investigation. “The process is based on the evidence and information collected. The goal is to uncover the truth and ensure justice is upheld,” he told Free Malaysia Today.
Hsieh, 31, known as the “nurse goddess” for her looks and nursing background, was found dead in a hotel bathtub at Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur, on Oct 22. The case, initially classified as a “sudden death,” was later reclassified as murder on Nov 4.
She had been working on a video project with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee. Wee, 42, was the one who found Hsieh unresponsive and performed CPR before calling emergency services. He was later charged with drug possession and consumption after police found nine blue pills suspected to be ecstasy in his room and confirmed positive results for several drugs in his urine test.
Wee denied involvement in Hsieh’s death but turned himself in on Wednesday (Nov 6) after police said they could not locate him. “I will fully cooperate with the police investigation to explain to the public and the deceased’s family,” he wrote on Instagram, adding that he has never fled when wanted by authorities.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said post-mortem and toxicology reports are still pending and will take about three months to complete. The cause of Hsieh’s death remains under investigation.
