KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 -- A majority of Malaysians believe in life after death and the existence of a spiritual world beyond what can be seen, according to a global survey by Pew Research Center that sheds light on the spiritual and religious beliefs of people across 36 countries.

The report released earlier this week also found that despite Malaysia's lower gross domestic product per capita compared to many Western nations, the country's lower level of ancestral worship challenge conventional assumptions made by secularisation theory.

"Economics is not the only factor at play - the religious makeup of a country also has a role," said the report.

"For instance, the Muslim-majority countries of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and [Turkiye...