KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Writer Rehman Rashid, 62, whose books tried to show us a Malaysia many of us were not familiar with, died this morning, The Star Online reported.

Former journalist Rehman had a heart attack in January. The Star Online also reported that Rehman’s brother Rafique "texted the media at around 8.15am” with news of his death.

Rehman was born in Taiping, Perak in 1955. He studied at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar and later at University College Swansea, Wales.

He worked at the New Straits Times as associate editor and columnist, and now-defunct news magazine Asiaweek in Hong Kong.

Rehman was also Malaysian Press Institute’s Journalist of the Year for 1985.

He wrote several books and will be best remembered for A Malaysian Journey and Peninsula: A Story of Malaysia.