About Mensa

Mensa was founded in England in 1946. The founders of Mensa were Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr. Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer. They envisioned the creation of a society for highly intelligent people and named it “Mensa”, which means “table” in Latin. This was to signify that the society would be a round-table society where all high IQ individuals would be welcome, regardless of race, colour, creed, national origin, age, politics and educational or social background.

Internationally, Mensa is home to about 145,000 members from all walks of life, living in around 100 countries. Various activities are held each year around the world to provide Mensans with exciting opportunities to meet and engage with people of different faiths, cultures and nationalities.

The Malaysian Mensa Society was founded by Tan Sri Dato’ Yong Poh Kon on 22 May 1984. The Penang Branch of the society was founded in 1987 by Mr. Lee Loy Fatt, the then Hon. Secretary of the Malaysian Mensa Society. Membership is open to all Malaysians or residents of Malaysia who score in the 98th percentile on an approved IQ test.