Several studies has been conducted to economically cultivate the Monascus sp. However, the potential of usingstirred drum bioreactor in solid state fermentation (SSF) for Monascus sp. cultivation has been relativelyunderstudied. Oil palm frond (OPF) petiole has been used as a potential substrate due to its nutritional contentsand to add more value to local agricultural waste. This study reports the production of red pigment by Monascuspurpureus FTC 5357 in a 2.3 L bench top - stirred-drum bioreactor. The fungus was grown on moistened OPFsubstrate (60 % (w/w)) supplemented with 2% (w/w) of soy meal peptone. The effects of different aeration rates(0.3-1.0 vvm of humidified air), agitation programme (4-8 cycles per day), and substrate load capacity (25-40 %(v/v) of total drum capacity) on red pigment production are reported. Aeration rate showed a positively correlatedinteraction to red pigment production in which the highest red pigment were produced using1.0 vvm (6.09 AU/gdry solid), and non-aerated culture showed the lowest red pigment production (0.81 AU/g dry solid). The agitationprogramme was also showing the positive trend of interaction, in which 8 cycles per day showed the highest redpigment production (4.34 AU/g dry solid) and 4 cycles per day agitation showed the lowest red pigment production.The red pigment production was peaked at 30% (v/v) drum loading capacity (5.61 AU/g dry solid) and the lowestat 25% (v/v) (0.89 AU/g dry solid), whereas 40% (v/v) substrate capacity was incapable of being mixed due to lowpower output of agitating motor. Results suggested that OPF was a potent source of substrate for the cultivatingMonascus purpureus using SSF and all 3 factors (aeration, substrate load capacity and agitation programme) weresignificantly influenced the red pigment production.