Tram Iv Tek, the Senior Minister in charge of special missions, has passed away at the age of 73 after a long battle with illness.

Sourn Serey Ratha, secretary of state at the Ministry of Rural Development, told The Post on June 1 that Iv Tek passed away at 2:30am on June 1 after more than a month of hospitalisation abroad.

“The passing of His Excellency Tram Iv Tek is a critical loss of human resources. He was mature and a gentleman ... He was a respectable and modest man and an example for others to follow,” he said.

Iv Tek, formerly a parliamentarian for Kampong Chhnang province, was the former minister of Posts and Telecommunications, serving in that capacity from 2016 to 2020 while also having previously served as the minister of Public Works and Transport form 2008 to 2016.

Prime Minister Hun Sen sent a letter of condolences to Iv Tek’s family on the evening of June 1.

“During this sad time, my wife and I would like to offer condolences to the family of the late Tram Iv Tek. He was a generous husband and his children have lost a father of loving kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity.

“He was a great public figure who joined the government to actively serve the nation in a highly responsible manner for much of his life,” Hun Sen said.

Som Chanthorn, the governor of Kampong Leng district in Kampong Chhnang province, said that in the past two mandates Iv Tek had helped with the development of the district and brought prosperity to the residents there.

He cited Iv Tek’s contributions including his assistance in building its roads, bridges, irrigation systems and waterways as examples.