A message was texted by his brother, singer and composer, Rafique Rashid at around 8.15am informing of Rehman’s demise, The Star reported.

The veteran journalist suffered a heart attack in January while out cycling, and had been warded at Selayang Hospital.

Born in Taiping, Perak, in 1955, Rehman furthered his studies at the renowned Malay College Kuala Kangsar before leaving the country to study at University College Swansea in Wales.

He returned to Malaysia and soon joined the New Straits Times as a journalist in 1981.

Rehman later became an associate editor and columnist for the daily, before moving to Asiaweek in Hong Kong.

According to The Star, Rehman was the Malaysian Press Institute’s Journalist of the Year for 1985.

As an author, Rehman penned several books, including Small Town in 2016, Pangkor: Treasure of the Straits, and Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia.