By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, July 20: Popular Malaysian indie rock band Hujan has officially joined the Rock in The Jungle (RiTJ) 2.0 lineup, with the surprise announcement made during the road tour debut at Plaza Merdeka here today.
The unexpected reveal sent fans at the venue into a frenzy as event hosts unveiled Hujan, known for hits such as Rahsia Tuhan and Aku Skandal, as the latest act to join a stellar lineup that already includes Japanese metal legends Loudness, Indonesian rock heavyweights Gigi and Kotak, and local favourites nicestupidplayground, Fearless and Breathe in Ocean (BIO).
RiTJ 2.0 festival director Sunil Mohd Faizan said the decision to feature Hujan as the latest addition was influenced by the band’s strong ties to the local music industry.
“One of the reasons we chose Hujan is because of their close relationship with the local scene. If we look at their journey, they grew from a small act into a major name.
“Part of our focus for this show is to highlight local talents, and Hujan, which originated from Sarawak, fits perfectly into that narrative,” he said during a press conference after the event.
Today’s event marked the first stop of RiTJ 2.0’s highly anticipated road tour, which aims to bring the festival’s signature jungle-inspired rock energy into iconic public spaces ahead of the main concert at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) from Aug 29 to 30, 2025.
Gigi, Hujan, Kotak and nicestupidplayground will rock the stage on Day 1 (Aug 29), while Loudness, Fearless, Breathe In Ocean (BIO) will take over Day 2 (Aug 30) with adrenaline-pumping performances.
Organised by Authentic Ideas and Event Enterprise, RiTJ 2.0 is fully supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Tourism Malaysia, C2O Asia and Entrepreneurs SDGs Empowerment Foundation (EnEF). Its official venue is Sarawak Cultural Village, with partners including Star on Stage, Keeta Events, Plaza Merdeka, Cats FM as the official radio station, and Damai Beach Resort as the official hotel.
Meanwhile, EnEF vice chairman Bryan Lee Chee Jee said the organisation’s role in RiTJ 2.0 is to raise public awareness on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Our initial focus is to let more people know about the SDGs. We have solutions to offer, but that will come in later. For now, our aim is to create awareness,” he said.
When asked how festival-goers can support the initiative, Lee clarified that EnEF’s current objective is purely educational, to ensure the public understands what the SDGs are and why they matter.
Tickets are available at https://tickets.pergh.asia, priced at RM169 nett for a one-day pass and RM300 nett for a two-day pass, with early bird promotions valid until August 5. Afterwards, the normal rates will be RM199 for a one-day pass and RM350 for a two-day pass.
Fans can follow RiTJ’s official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok under Rock In The Jungle 2.0 for updates and upcoming tour stops.
Also present at today’s RiTJ 2.0 road tour were Authentic Ideas Sdn Bhd managing director Nawen Nawawi, RiTJ 2.0 event coordinator Nur Linda Bara Abdullah and Keeta Events chief executive officer Leena Kaha.
— DayakDaily
