The establishment of KMM was closely related to the burgeoning anti-colonialism at several educational institutions such as Sultan Idris Training College for Malay Teachers (SITC, currently known as "Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris)". Founding members of the KMM owed significant inspiration and intellectual influences to the anti- colonial intellectualism of such institutions- indeed, Ibrahim Yaacob himself was an alumnus of the college. Along with him, other alumni of the college that were active in KMM were Hassan Manan, Abdul Karim Rashid and Mohd. Isa Mahmud, which has led to the recognition of the SITC as a birthplace of Malay nationalism.