The Malaysian Information Network on Disabilities (MIND) was first mooted in October 2004,  by the Lembaga Bangunan BAKTI Siti Hasmah (LPBBSH) under the leadership of YABhg. Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Hj. Mohd Ali, as one of its primary welfare activities within the building of BBSH. In keeping with BAKTI's second objective i.e. `TO ORGANISE SUITABLE CHARITABLE PROGRAMMES', MIND was set up to meet the information needs of people with disabilities (PWD) so they can lead useful lives as Malaysians whilst we progress into a developed nation as envisioned by our leaders. 

Dato’ Dr Zaliha Omar, who was then the  Head of the Medical Rehabilitation Unit of University of Malaya Medical Centre, was appointed as the Honorary Consultant and Project Leader, by virtue of her expertise in Rehabilitation Medicine and her extensive experience  working alongside PWD. Information gathering and dissemination had been a regular paired activity at the premier Rehabilitation Medicine Facility for over 20 years. In fact, it had played a very important role in meeting the needs of the exponentially growing population of patients with disabilities who were being managed there. What started off as a hand-written `555’ booklet with oversimplified information on  patients needing rehabilitation aids and assistance, matched against potential donors and volunteers, in 1984, gradually grew into a  hard copy collection of potentially useful information on a wide spectrum of diverse needs of people with disabilities, their families and their carers. 

By 1999, much needed disability-related information had been gathered but it was no longer manageable manually. At that timely moment,  Mr. Liew Chee Keong, who was paralysed below the neck and had acquired computer skills, offered to volunteer and work on a computerised version of an information collection and provision system that would provide opportunities for people with disabilities  to improve and sustain their  quality of life. Persistence, perseverance and patience with the daunting and challenging task had finally paid off when BAKTI appointed Dato' Dr. Zaliha Omar as the Project Leader. It was then that she rapidly drew on the enthusiasm of her eager volunteers, who were of diversed background, to start  building up MIND.