From National Anthem Remix to Influencer Death: Namewee's 18 Years of Controversy

Taiwanese influencer Hsieh Yu-hsin recently died suddenly in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur. The incident brought to light a scandal involving Malaysian singer Namewee, who was in the same room and is suspected of drug possession and abuse; the latest development is that the case has now been classified by police as a murder.

Even though he denied the police charges, urine test results showed positive for multiple drugs. The event shocked the entire Chinese community and quickly became a hot topic on Malay-language social media.

In fact, this self-proclaimed "musical genius" has been embroiled in controversies ever since his debut 18 years ago, with so many incidents that it's been said "even Wikipedia has a special section for controversies."

The following is a review of Namewee's controversial incidents over the past 18 years:

1. 2007: National Anthem Remix Lands Him on Wanted List

At only 20 years old, Namewee remixed Malaysia's national anthem "Negaraku" to satirize racial discrimination and corruption at home. The song went viral on YouTube, but the government accused him of insulting the anthem and national dignity. Under public and legal pressure, he eventually issued a public apology.

In 2008, his song "Mr. Chiu" mocked corporal punishment in Chinese schools and was accused of insulting the educational sector.
In 2009, after a power outage at home, he went to Tenaga Nasional and berated employees, causing public uproar and resulting in him being summoned to court.
In 2010, he lashed out with profanity at a public school principal for corruption, resulting in a defamation charge and fine.

3. 2011: Film "Nasi Lemak 2.0" Sparks Racial Controversy

The film hit a nerve with NGOs over its use of racial stereotypes, calling for it to be banned. It was ultimately released and broke box office records, cementing his reputation as a "controversial director."

4. 2016: Religion-Themed MV Angers Muslims

He created the song "Oh My God" for the movie "A Journey of Happiness," playing various religious roles with Taiwan group Nine One One to visit places of worship. After the MV was released, it was accused of disrespecting Islam and prompted a police investigation.

5. 2018: Berating Police During Election

When returning home to vote, an issue with a ballot box led to a conflict with a police officer. He filmed himself berating the officer and uploaded it online, sparking heated debate.

The movie was accused of using racially sensitive symbols in its poster, prompting a police report by the youth wing of Perikatan Nasional. Namewee retorted that his critics were "the real racists" and criticized outdated censorship rules.

During the pandemic, he frequently lashed out at the government’s confusion over COVID measures, high unemployment rates, and expensive quarantine fees on social media, which drew polarized reactions.

His collaboration "Fragile" with Kimberley Chen was seen as lampooning China's "Little Pinks" (nationalist netizens) and was taken down from all Chinese platforms, with both of their Weibo accounts suspended. That same year, his duet with Tao Jingying, "Ten Men," was removed from an album due to unauthorized use of lyrics from an old song.

His channel of 13 years was hacked, wiping out all videos and 6 billion views. He publicly accused the culprit of "revenge for 'Fragile'." The channel was restored the next day, and he sarcastically posted: "Trolls must be disappointed."

On April Fools' Day, he posted a "death notice" and "memorial service," only to announce his "resurrection" the next day. He was criticized by the media for making a joke out of death. He fired back at the media for “misleading,” and was then collectively boycotted by Chinese-language media in Malaysia.

11. 2025: Parody News Anchor Image Leads to Copyright Charge

On April Fools', he posted a doctored screenshot of a TV news broadcast, for which the station accused him of copyright and image rights infringement pertaining to the anchor.

On October 22, Taiwanese influencer Hsieh Yu-hsin suddenly died in a Kuala Lumpur hotel. Police arrested Namewee and found 9 suspected drug pills on him. Urine tests showed positive for four types of drugs. Namewee denied all charges, claiming he had been extorted. The latest update: Kuala Lumpur Chief of Police Datuk Fadhil announced the police have now classified Hsieh Yu-hsin's case as murder.