About Sisowath Sirik Matak
Sisowath Sirik Matak (Khmer: ស៊ីសុវត្ថិ សិរិមតៈ; 22 January 1914 – 21 April 1975) was a Cambodian politician and member of the Cambodian royal family, under the House of Sisowath. He served as prime minister, refusing to flee before the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh, and was executed by Angkar (The Organization) in 1975, four days after Lon Non and Long Boret who was also executed on the orders of "Angkar". Sirik Matak was mainly notable for his involvement in Cambodian politics, particularly for his involvement in the 1970 change in power against his cousin, then Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and for his subsequent establishment, along with Lon Nol, of the Khmer Republic. In April 1975, Sirik Matak was executed by the orders of "Angkar", shortly after the Khmer Rouge seized power in the capital Phnom Penh, where he and other government officials were captured and executed by the new regime. For the first year of the Republic, during which Lon Nol was often in poor health, Sirik Matak – as acting Premier – retained the most prominent role in the government. After the Second World War and capitulation of Japan, Sirik Matak became increasingly involved in Cambodian politics. Sirik Matak's power increased substantially after Lon Nol became prime minister in August 1969. Despite pressure from the United States, who were strong supporters of Sirik Matak, Lon Nol kept him under effective house arrest, and he became an increasingly vocal critic of the Khmer Republic regime.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.