Malaysian singer Eison Cai dies after falling from building in New Taipei

TAIPEI • Taiwan-based Malaysian singer Eison Cai died after falling from a building in New Taipei City yesterday. He was 40.

According to Taiwan's Central News Agency, which quoted the Luzhou Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department, Cai fell from the Luzhou MRT station building at about 10am.

Police said he died on the spot and investigations are under way.

The singer, who also went by the name Ai Cheng, registered his marriage to Taiwanese actress Hitomi Wang in Taiwan in 2020 and the couple had plans to hold a wedding banquet in Malaysia soon.

A statement from his management agency confirmed his death and asked for privacy for his widow.

Cai had posted a series of solemn selfies on Facebook in the week before his death, writing philosophical captions and quoting Bible verses. In one of his last posts, he wrote: "Love is the hardest lesson in the world, but is also the easiest lesson. Love her and you will have eternity."

In a live-streamed karaoke session on Sunday, he sang Andy Lau's classic song Forget Love Potion, among other melancholic songs.

He had reportedly lost NT$5 million (S$230,000) in a restaurant venture in Ximending recently, according to news portal SET News.

Taiwanese media reports said Wang, 35, had gone to work in Yilan yesterday and asked two friends to keep an eye on her husband as he appeared to be in low spirits.

However, he locked himself in a room and they thought he was resting inside until they heard the sound of sirens downstairs. There was reportedly no suicide note.

Cai, who rose to fame after winning the second season of talent show Super Idol in 2009, had released a number of albums and was also known for acting in Taiwanese dramas such as Rookie's Diary (2010 to 2011), I, My Brother (2011) and Feng Shui Family (2012 to 2014).