Tuesday 19 May: More than four out of five people in Singapore (81%), Malaysia (84%) and Indonesia (96%) are moderately to extremely concerned about climate change, according to a survey conducted by YouGov, in new research commissioned by Market Forces.
The new research finds that around three in five Indonesians (65%), Malaysians (58%), and Singaporeans (61%) agree that rapidly phasing out coal power is one of the best ways to tackle climate change. Support is highest among Indonesians (65%), the country with the most coal mining and power projects, according to the representative survey of 4,000 people across the three countries.
The poll finds that more than three in five people in the three Southeast Asian countries think banks that finance coal mining and power make climate change worse.
Bernadette Maheandiran, Asia Energy Finance Director, Market Forces said:
“There’s overwhelming concern about climate change in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia and most people agree that rapidly ending coal mining and power will protect us from dangerous climate change.”
The poll finds a clear majority of people think banks should not finance companies that worsen climate change. More than seven in 10 people in Indonesia (71%), Malaysia (71%), and Singapore (73%) believe banks should not finance companies or projects which emit high levels of greenhouse gases, worsening climate change.
The research also finds that banks funding coal risk losing a third of their customers. More than one in three people in Indonesia (43%) and Malaysia (36%), and just under a third of Singaporeans (28%) would consider switching banks if they learned their current bank still finances new coal projects. Intent to switch banks which fund coal is highest in Indonesia, the country with the highest levels of coal mining, power projects and climate related disasters.
Around two in three people in Singapore (69%) and Indonesia (66%) and three in five Malaysians (59%) expect that a commitment to end finance for new coal projects applies to all coal plants, including industrial (captive) plants built specifically to power industry facilities such as nickel and aluminium smelters.
A majority of people in Indonesia (61%), Malaysia (54%) and Singapore (52%) do not consider nickel to be ‘green’ if it is produced using coal-power. Concern is highest in Indonesia (61%) — the global nickel production powerhouse.
“Banks in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia must recognise that funding coal poses serious risks to the climate, the economy and threatens the loss of a third of their customers,” said Ms Maheandiran.
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Note to Reporters/Editors: The YouGov survey was conducted across 4,000 people in Singapore (1,000), Malaysia (1,000) and Indonesia (2,000) in March 2026. The poll was conducted among adults 18 years or older and representative by age, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and region — drawn from the general population in Singapore and Malaysia, and from the online national population in Indonesia. The YouGov survey was market weighted to reflect national population demographics. The survey consisted of 5-point Likert scale questions on climate concern, bank financing, and coal policy.