Malaysian rock drummer dies onstage after collapsing mid performance at Teruntum festival

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Malaysian rock drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib passed away onstage during the Teruntum Rock Festival in July. The 56-year-old musician from Meditasi had completed two songs with his band before collapsing mid-performance. Frontman Bakaruddin Daud, also known as Burn, rushed to his side but noted that the drummer appeared healthy and showed no signs of illness prior to collapsing.

Fans were visibly alarmed as they witnessed the collapse. Festival staff quickly transported Raja Azreen to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where medical personnel administered respiratory assistance before confirming his death. His older brother, Raja, confirmed to Berita Harian that the cause of death was due to heart complications.

Raja added that the drummer had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and had been hospitalized twice in June for heart-related issues. He also suggested that extreme fatigue may have played a role in the collapse, as Raja Azreen had just finished a BMX competition before taking the stage at the festival. Meditasi, which originated as Metal Wizard in 1983 before rebranding in 1989, experienced a resurgence in popularity during the 1990s' golden era of Malaysian rock.