Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh was cremated on 16 Nov at a crematorium in Shah Alam, Malaysia. The 31-year-old social media personality, also known as Hsieh Yu-hsin, had died in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur on 22 Oct.
Her body remained in the morgue for 25 days while investigations took place.
Hsieh’s parents stayed in Taiwan. They appointed a lawyer and representatives to handle the funeral arrangements and watched the farewell proceedings through video link. China Press reported the couple couldn’t hide their grief during the ceremony.
The family’s lawyer, Chen Junda, told China Press the couple were devastated and struggling to accept their daughter’s sudden death. Further action would only be taken after the family had calmed down and funeral arrangements were completely finished, he said.
The lawyer and several funeral service personnel, including two mortuary makeup artists, arrived at 8:30am on 16 Nov. A brief religious rite was conducted before the cremation began.
A memorial tablet bearing Hsieh’s name stood before the coffin as prayers were offered. Her portrait wasn’t placed on the offering table. Several fruits and food items were present, including a bubble tea.
The hearse that transported her remains bore no portrait of Hsieh. At the family’s request, a man photographed her for the final time before the cremation. The coffin was pushed into the furnace at 10:30am. Her ashes are expected to be transported to Taiwan.
Namewee’s Release and Social Media Display Spark Online Debate
Malaysian rapper Namewee was present at the scene when Hsieh died. Local authorities initially arrested him in connection to her death and held him for nine days before releasing him on bail on 13 Nov.
Police investigators stated there was no evidence to link the rapper to her death.
Following his release, Namewee wrote on Facebook that he had tried his best to save Hsieh but it was “too late”. He described witnessing the moment she passed away as the first time in his life someone had died in front of his eyes. The rapper said he was extremely upset, helpless and shocked. He added that he tried everything he could to save her but was unable to prevent what happened. The scene would remain in his mind forever, he said.
On the day of Hsieh’s cremation, Namewee switched his social media page to an entirely black image without any further comment. The gesture drew immediate attention and split reactions online.
Many users expressed confusion and concern, asking whether something had happened or if there was a technical fault. Others offered messages of support, insisting he bore no responsibility for the incident. A separate stream of comments questioned his role in the case and suggested he couldn’t be completely detached from it.
