Aleesha Farhana, 25, who last week failed in her bid to change her name from her birth name Mohd Ashraf Hafiz Abdul Aziz after undergoing a sex change operation in Thailand, died at the intensive care unit of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah in Kuala Terengganu at 5am today.

Mohd Ashraf Hafiz Abdul Aziz transexual She was admitted to the hospital at 3am yesterday after experiencing heart problems and low blood pressure.

Her father Abdul Aziz Ahmad, 60, when contacted, said the family was waiting for family members and relatives to return to Kuala Terengganu and that the funeral would be held after the mid-day prayers today.

Doctors at the hospital yesterday said she was suffering from unstable angina with cardiogenic shock.

Mohd Ashraf Hafiz, 25, had applied to the Kuala Terengganu High Court for an order to change her name and gender but it was rejected on July 18.

Shahrizat sad ministry not able to help

Meanwhile, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she was deeply saddened that her ministry was not able to provide counselling in time to Aleesha.

Shahrizat said her ministry from early on had offered to provide counselling to Aleesha but now fate had intervened.

"We were concerned about his well-being. My ministry is welfare oriented and we are non-judgemental.

"We try to understand and counsel anyone who needs our help, especially people who feel desperate like in the case of Ashraf, but for him, it is too late now," she told Bernama when met on arrival at Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur where the Wanita Umno chief was due to chair a meeting of the Umno wing's executive committee.

Shahrizat also extended her condolences to Aleesha's family and hoped they would remain strong in this difficult time.

"If the family needs any help they can contact me or the nearest Welfare Department office," she said.

- Bernama