Family vacation to Phuket was the last for Aziz Desa

A family vacation to Phuket was the last for former journalist and popular television presenter Aziz Desa, 50, who died here this morning.

His wife, Raden Norazlina Raden Jumari, 50, said she and Aziz, or his real name Abdul Aziz, together with their children, had just returned from a popular holiday resort in Thailand yesterday afternoon.

"Last night, Aziz had slept on the bed in the lounge with one of our children. This morning, I realised that Aziz was no longer moving," she said when met by reporters at their residence in Taman Seri Dayang, here.

She said she realised her husband had died around 10.30am.

Aziz, who was suffering from kidney, heart and diabetes complication since almost a year ago, is also survived by six children ranging from 13 to 22 years old.

A former journalist with the newspaper Berita Harian and private television stations TV3 and TV9, Aziz had also served as the press secretary to former Kedah Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Sanusi Junid.

He would be laid to rest in Kampung Bayas, here after the Asar prayers.