At the age of 10, Mas was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning difficulty affecting his memory as well as his reading and writing abilities. Growing up, He found it challenging to express himself freely, and there were many times where he felt like he was different from everyone else. However, BMX racing changed things for him, and Mas is very thankful for his father, who introduced it to him. Mas got acquainted with BMX racing for the first time at the age of 9 through his father, a former BMX racer. As a child, He had a fear of heights, and his father helped him overcome this fear through BMX. They used to cycle at the old Tampines Bike Park, which was where the only BMX track at that time was located. It was during this time that Coach Hairul, the formal Singapore national BMX coach, approached him and recruited him into the National developmental squad. As learning visually was the most effective way for him to learn, Coach Hairul adapted his coaching style to best suit his learning style, like breaking down concepts and having Mas keep a journal to record the exercises during their sessions. Mas would review his entries before training, and this improved his memory, self-discipline, and independence. It was not easy, but the hard work paid off when Mas joined the national team about six years ago and took part in several competitions. Ever since then, Mas has clinched multiple youth titles in Malaysia. He has also been awarded the Singapore Olympic Foundation's Peter Lim scholarship twice. Mas is grateful for all the opportunities and support, as it can be challenging to fund his overseas competitions.
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