Southeast Asia is quite the religious region. From Islam in Indonesia, Catholicism in the Philippines, to Buddhism in Thailand, it can be said each Southeast Asian country can be affiliated with a majority religion.
Yet, beyond this social fact, how exactly do Southeast Asians feel about religion? Quantitative studies show that religion plays a considerable role in the social and political lives of Southeast Asians.
A Deeply Religious Region
Published in 2023, a study conducted by Pew Research Center surveying more than 13.000 people in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia revealed that Southeast Asia is significantly religious. Respondents in six countries in the study show a strong belief in God or unseen beings.
In Indonesia, all people surveyed even said that they believed in God or unseen beings. In addition, almost all (98%) Indonesians in the survey said that they considered religion very important in their daily lives.
Following Indonesia is Malaysia, where 99% of total respondents surveyed stated that they believed in God or unseen beings, and 85% stated they considered religion very important in their lives.
The study did not specify the religions of the respondents. This means that across Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, adherents of folk religions, and others, the belief in a higher power is constant, showcasing the depth of religiosity in Southeast Asia.
Religion and Social Practice
A different study, also performed by Pew, shows that among Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and adherents of folk religions alike, Southeast Asians tend to view religion as a conscious choice and not just something people are born with. The percentage of respondents who answer that religion is something that one chooses to follow is always higher than the percentage that says religion is an “ethnicity” one is born into.
This is an interesting find, as most Southeast Asians identify themselves with the same religion they were born and raised in. This is probably related to strong filial values and social pressures in the region. Though people view religion as a conscious choice, most tend to stay with the beliefs they are accustomed to since the cradle, in order to conform with their families and surroundings.
As a result, Southeast Asians consider religion as an inseparable part of citizenship and social practice. A Cambodian, for example, is considered “truly Cambodian” if they are Buddhist, similar to how a Filipino is considered a true Filipino if they are Catholic.
Another example of how religion is viewed as a crucial part of social life is how 96% of Cambodian Buddhists surveyed agreed that dharma should be the nation's official law. Meanwhile, Malaysian Muslims showed a similar stance, with 86% of total respondents agreeing to make Islamic sharia the law of the land.
These numbers cannot be separated from the larger social context. Religion isn't just a system of sacred beliefs; it's highly valuable and equal to tradition, family legacy, ethnicity, and culture.
References
- Evans, Jonathan. “5 facts about religion in South and Southeast Asia.” Pew Research Center. Published on September 12, 2023. Accessed on July 15, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/12/5-facts-about-religion-in-south-and-southeast-asia/.
- Evans, Jonathan, Kelsey Jo Starr, Manolo Corichi, and William Miner. “Buddhism, Islam, and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia.” Pew Research Center (2023).
