Investigating the function of religion and social capital in shaping sustainable social development

Sustainable social development (SSD)—defined as the integration of equity, environmental responsibility, and civic cohesion—remains an underachieved goal in many multi-faith societies, particularly in Southeast Asia. Although theoretical discussions recognize religion as a moral and institutional force, empirical studies rarely investigate how specific religious constructs influence SSD through civic and policy pathways. This study addresses this gap by examining how collective conscience, rituals and ceremonies, and moral regulation contribute to SSD, and how these effects are mediated by civic engagement and administrative policy. It also investigates whether the function of religion moderates these relationships. Drawing on Durkheim’s theory of religion and society and Putnam’s social capital theory, the study proposes and tests a comprehensive structural model. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using Likert-scale items from 385 respondents across major religious communities in the Klang Valley, selected via stratified random sampling. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to validate the hypothesized relationships. The results reveal that moral regulation (β = 0.336, p < 0.001) and rituals (β = 0.134, p < 0.001) exert strong direct effects on SSD, while administrative policy and civic networks significantly mediate these effects. Notably, the moderating role of religion produced mixed results, including a significant negative interaction between religious function and administrative policy. These findings extend Durkheim’s and Putnam’s theories by demonstrating how religious structures and policy interfaces co-produce sustainability outcomes in pluralistic societies. The study offers theoretical and policy implications for leveraging cultural and civic capital in sustainable development planning.