PHNOM PENH, Oct. 29 (FN) -- Cambodian former prime minister and current opposition lawmaker Pen Sovann died on Saturday night at the age of 80 due to illness, the opposition party said in a statement.

"His Excellency Pen Sovann, a member of parliament and former prime minister during the People's Republic of Kampuchea, died at 19:17 local time on Oct. 29, 2016 at the age of 80 due to illness at his house in (southern) Takeo province," the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said in the statement.

Pen Sovann had suffered a stroke since January last year.

He used to be the prime minister of Cambodia for six months in 1981 after the fall of the Democratic Kampuchea in 1979.