KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee, also known as Namewee, was acquitted of drug possession on Thursday (May 14).
Magistrate Khairunnisak Hassni granted the acquittal after the Attorney-General’s Chambers withdrew two charges against Wee on his second bid, Malaysian news outlets reported.
Earlier, on Apr 29, the prosecution had rejected Wee’s initial representation to review the charges of possessing methamphetamine and sildenafil – a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction.
The charges were brought under Section 9(1) of Malaysia’s Poisons Act 1952 and Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Free Malaysia Today reported.
Wee, 43, had pleaded not guilty on Jan 19 to possessing 0.78g of sildenafil and an amended charge of possessing 1.57g of methamphetamine at a hotel on Jalan Conlay in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 22 last year.
He was acquitted of a drug consumption charge in December last year following a negative urine test.
Wee was arrested on Oct 22 after Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh was found dead in the hotel bathtub while reportedly working with him on a video project.
Hsieh, 31, who was from Taichung city in central Taiwan, had about 545,000 followers on Instagram and 349,000 on Facebook, and often posted provocative content.
Two days later, on Oct 24, Wee was charged with drug use and possession and released on bail. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case involving Hsieh was reclassified as murder on Nov 4 after being initially classified as sudden death. Wee turned himself in to the police a day later to assist with investigations.
He was released on police bail on Nov 13 after a week in remand. There have been no updates since.
Wee is a Malaysian rapper and composer who has long courted controversy with his music. His songs have touched on issues such as government inefficiency, unequal treatment and corruption.
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