▁proc laimed ▁on ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁its ▁independence ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁As ▁a ▁still ▁function ing ▁Mal ay ▁s ultan ate , ▁Br une i ▁places ▁Islam ic ▁institutions ▁at ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁interest . ▁It ▁retain s ▁an ▁elabor ated ▁Mal ay ▁social ▁hierarchy ▁central ▁to ▁the ▁community . ▁In ▁Malays ia , ▁nine ▁Mal ay ▁s ultan ates ▁were ▁formally ▁absor bed ▁into ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁state ▁and ▁the ▁historical ▁association ▁of ▁Mal ay ▁with ▁Islam ▁is ▁ent rench ed ▁in ▁the ▁Article ▁ 1 6 0 ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Malays ia . ▁ ▁A ▁degree ▁of ▁Mal ay ness ▁is ▁also ▁retained ▁outside ▁Br une i ▁and ▁Malays ia , ▁in ▁particular , ▁among ▁communities ▁in ▁coast al ▁areas ▁of ▁Sum atra ▁and ▁Kal im ant an ▁in ▁Indones ia ▁and ▁southern ▁region ▁of ▁Th ailand , ▁that ▁histor ically ▁ruled ▁by ▁Mal ay ▁s ultan ates , ▁although ▁such ▁institutions ▁have ▁long ▁been ▁officially ▁removed . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁B umi put era ▁P rib umi ▁Mal ay ▁world ▁Mal ay ▁Arch ip el ago ▁East ▁Ind ies ▁Mal ay ▁race ▁Mal ay isation ▁Map h il indo ▁N us ant ara ▁Gre ater ▁Indones ia ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁Malays ▁ ▁Malays ian ▁Mal ay ▁ ▁Regional ▁religion : ▁ ▁Religion ▁in ▁Malays ia ▁ ▁Religion ▁in ▁Singapore ▁ ▁Religion ▁in ▁Th ailand ▁ ▁General : ▁Eth nor el ig ious ▁group ▁ ▁References ▁