Approximate 2 million Malaysian Indians can be said to comprise of 10% as professionals, managers and businessmen. Around 20 % as clerks and sales persons and civil servants and the bulk of around 70 % as operators, security guards, drivers ,odd and menial workers.

There was a dire need to address this deplorable situation, thus a need for a new vehicle that would drive the need for Indians to go into business was initiated and a National Business Organization - The Malaysian Indian Community was for decades seen and passed off as a working class.

Mr.P.Sivakumar, having formed the Johor Indian Business Association in 1993 JIBA, felt the need for another Indian based business association at the national level. Thus the Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA) was formed in late 1999 and got its approval in January 2000.

MIBA took of well with strong support from prominent businessmen like Mr. D. Visvalingam, Mr.R.S.Shanmugam, Major Ganesan, Mr Sahadevan of Perak, Mr Jegathisan , Mr.Alvin Selvaratnam, Mr.Mathews Nathan of Penang. Mr.Siva Shanmugam who took a lead in getting the MIBA moving, however due to ideological differences MIBA had its own share of detours and as a result the progress was hampered. A special note on the late D. Visvaraj for his relentless commitment and contributions for the success of MIBA is note worthy.

MIBA continued with this uphill task due to the undivided support given by its initial central committee members mainly Mr.Sahadevan, Mr.Jegathisan, Mr.Siva Shanmugam, Mr.Matthew Nathan, Dr.T Premkumar, Mr. Sankaran and Ms Indumathi.

The Association took a turn for the better when Dr.M.Raken, Mr.Gopinath, Mr.Martin and Mr.Kanagasabai and a few others came on board to add force to the momentum.

Today after 10 years MIBA remains an Association committed to the struggle of mostly the poor and lost Indians who have intention to move up economically. MIBA has equally pioneered a few bold activities like the Annual Entrepreneurship awards and dinner Night , the annual women ‘s conference, the short training programs in non-traditional products , the annual FICCI Global network conference in Singapore , the annual luncheon meet in Johor bahru between MIBA members and the Singapore Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The annual JIBA Deepavali Bazaar, the saree queen and talent contest. The annual meeting between MIBA and the Indian High Commission and other networking activities are great moments of achievements.

The outspoken nature of MIBA is sometimes misconstrued as anti -Government however we would like to place on record that MIBA formed out of necessity is non- partisan and follows the ideology of pressurizing for change through diplomatic methods .The Objective to increase the number of Indians in business and to shift the mindset of the Indians to take up new challenges from traditional businesses to non-traditional ones.