Older generation Chinese speak Malay well, but newer generation do not learn Malay as it is an optional language. So their Malay language is restricted to their national service exposure, school crowd or working environment. If they do take Malay as an optional language, then they might be more fluent.

This also is affecting newer generation Malays as their parents speak English more as a home language. So they depend on their optional language subject in school as their only means of speaking Malay.

Some of my Malay colleagues kids don't speak conversational Malay at all other than the common words included in their vocabulary.