WITHOUT him, perhaps there would be no Biker Boy column.

Mr Matthew Lee, among others, had been instrumental in fanning the flames of my
motorcycling interest.

Sadly, on 23 Jul, Mr Lee, who was the president of Singapore Motor Sports
Association (SMSA) for five years, died.

The 47-year-old had battled nose cancer for the last three years, said his wife
Becky Koh.

I first met Matt - as he is better known - in 1997.

He was teaching my friend and I how to race cars.

Ironically, meeting him would open a world of two-wheel racing for me.

In 1999, Matt became president of SMSA, after a year as club captain.
Prior to that, I had been helping SMSA with motorcycle race reports and
photography.

I loved watching race bikes blazing on a track so much that I wanted to know
more.

So Matt introduced me to industry contacts.

In 1999, I was roped in to help organise a motocross race. It was tough as the
sport had been on the decline since 1993. Yet, Matt was optimistic.

He had told me: "Don't worry about failing. We must try to get the sport going.
You have my support. Just be sure that safety is not compromised."

With help from the SMSA committee and volunteers, we burned the midnight oil to
organise our first motocross race in 1999 after a six-year break.

And I'm glad we did.

In the following years, SMSA would conduct at least four dirtbike races a year
in Tuas.

Far from being a "car guy" Matt was the invisible hand behind events ?rallying
riders and drivers to help out.

Said Mr Tan Teng Lip, current president of SMSA: "Matt was a passionate man.
His biggest contribution to motor racing was injecting new blood into the
committee. It would change the way we conduct races."

In 2000, I took Matt's challenge by becoming the competition secretary for
motorbikes at SMSA.

The same year at an FIM (world motorcycle body) congress in France, I sensed
the biker in the president.

Matt came along with me because he wanted to know the sport.

Most importantly, I recalled Matt had an eye for a motorcycle helmet I had
bought in France.

His wife said Matt loved it and had hinted to his best friend about the helmet.

The friend later bought it for him for his birthday.

Matt would take his children, Nicole and Ezekiel, to car rallies, while still
ensuring that their homework was done, said Becky.

Nicole describes her father as a man who "can never sit still and always yearns
to make fruitful use of his spare time"

But separating his volunteer role in SMSA and family would be difficult for a
man entrenched in motor sports for the last 25 years.

DEDICATED

Said Becky: "It was during the last years of his life that our daughter felt
that she really had her father to herself.

"Even when his head hurts, Matt would still attend meetings. Matt used to tease
and remind me that I'd known this part of him since our courting days and this
is a major part of him.

"If it's stripped away from him, he would shrivel up and die."

Matt was also the vice-president of UAM (Asian Motorcycle Union) from 2002 to
2005. In 2003, Singapore held the Asean Supercross championship at Turf City
with at least 25,000 spectators.

Matt's sunburnt face, outlined by his sporty sunglasses, was testament to the
long hours spent designing the track.

And this year, riders can celebrate knowing the motocross track in Tuas is
underway, thanks to Matt who worked closely with the Urban Redevelopment
Authority.

As Matt's wife said: "Finally, Matt has finished his race."