Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee (黄明志), or Namewee returned home to Malaysia on 14th March. He clarified that his decision to return was so he could clear his name, especially the issues surrounding his film “Babi”.
After his week of quarantine ended, as promised, Namewee turned himself in to the police. Much like his arrival in KL, his first ‘free’ day turned out to be as equally eventful.
Yesterday morning (22nd March), Namewee publicly announced on his social media that he was surrendering to the police. According to the rapper, this would be the 8th time he “(took) the initiative to cooperate with the police in an investigation as a musician and film maker“. Namewee was clearly unsure how the day would end. As he warned his followers, “If I did not publish any of my news on my social media before dark, it means that I may be detained according to my previous experience.”
After 6 hours of investigation, Namewee was released from the station at about 2:45pm. While he was free from the police, he was not free from the media. Seeing the crowd that was coming to take his statement on the issue, Namewee decided on a tactical retreat and headed to his car instead. His two assistants raced behind while apologising profusely.
In the evening, the rapper stated on his social media that he had finished giving his statement. He also emphasised that he had fully cooperated with the police. “I want to thank the police for not locking me up,” the rapper wrote. “This incident gives me an impression that there is still hope for artistic freedom in our country, so that Malaysian films could compete on the international stage.” Currently, the artist is waiting to see if the prosecutor will sue him.
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According to China Press, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador commented that there would be no arrests regarding Namewee’s case. He confirmed that the rapper had given his statement and optimistically stated Namewee should be released or released on bail.
In response to that, Namewee thanked him on Facebook. The rapper also added that he was wanted by the police three times and has returned to Malaysia voluntarily. He hopes the authorities appreciate his sincerity and stated that, as he did nothing wrong, there was no need to run.
If you want to know more about the film “Babi” and why it became such a big deal, Namewee uploaded videos explaining the controversy from his point of view. Watch them here:
We sincerely hope things clear up for Namewee soon. As he said, he is a Malaysian who loves Malaysia. Hopefully, he’ll get a better homecoming next time!
Sources: China Press (1)(2), Free Malaysia Today
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