Social and spiritual factors in building community happiness and wellbeing: The moderating role of education

The Malaysian government aims to transform Malaysia into a high-income, fair, and sustainable economy, maintaining strong economic growth for nearly fifty years. Developing indicators to guide society towards a sustainable and desirable future is crucial for promoting welfare. This research seeks to understand people's perspectives on the social, cultural, spiritual, and governance factors that impact happiness and well-being in Malaysia. A survey of 732 participants from various regions of Peninsular Malaysia was conducted using a structured questionnaire, and the data was analyzed through Partial Least Square (PLS) and regression analysis. The findings indicate that factors such as social security, job satisfaction, national prosperity, education, and spiritual values significantly influence Malaysia's development. The study suggests that integrating these key indicators into policy-making is vital for achieving sustainable development in Malaysia. Furthermore, these findings can assist policymakers, businesses, and other organizations in developing strategies for sustainable growth and offer useful insights for achieving sustainability goals.