Securities Investors Association (Singapore) or SIAS, a non-profit organization, was founded unexpectedly in June 1999, to champion the CLOB issue. 172,000 retail investors were suddenly stranded when the Malaysian Government froze their investments on Malaysian stocks in September 1998, amounting to US$5 billion. A group of civic-minded citizens lead by Mr David Gerald got together and took on the challenge to help free the frozen shares with an initial backing by 49,880 retail investors as members. Their resoluteness and unity helped to resolve the issue on our terms.

Today, SIAS is the largest organized investor lobby group in Asia, with almost 70,000 retail investors as members. It is run by a Management Committee comprising of professionals who are volunteers. It actively promotes Investor Education, Corporate Governance and Transparency and is the watchdog for Investor rights in Singapore.