Compiled by C. ARUNO, ARFA YUNUS and R. ARAVINTHAN
THE Federation of Goldsmiths and Jewellers Association of Malaysia has banned its members from producing, selling and importing “gold over silver” jewellery to avoid confusion among consumers, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Its president Datuk Chiah Hock Yew explained that these jewellery became a controversial topic in China recently as consumers were reportedly misled into believing that they were buying solid gold products.
According to Chiah, “gold over silver” items are silver pieces that have been coated or plated with a layer of gold.
“These products have disrupted the market price of jewellery. Not only are they not a part of Malaysian culture, but they have not been recognised by any of our 17 member associations,” Chiah said.
He said the move was to protect the jewellery industry and consumer rights.
Chiah appealed to the Customs Department to stop such products from entering Malaysia.
He also encouraged consumers to buy gold jewellery from reputable sellers.
> The daily also reported that four high school students have been hailed as heroes for steering a bus to safety after the driver fainted.
The incident occurred when the Grade 8 students from Linxia No.3 Middle School in China’s Gansu province were taking a bus to school in the afternoon of Dec 19 last year.
One of the students, Ma Dongla, noticed the vehicle veering off course and spotted the driver slumped in the seat. He rushed over, removing the driver’s foot from the accelerator and pressing the brakes with his hands.
“Fellow students, please control the steering wheel!” Dongla shouted to the other passengers.
Ma Bin and Gao Yifan grabbed the steering wheel to guide the bus to the side of the road while Wang Wubin kept patting the driver to prevent him from falling unconscious.
The students then laid the driver on the floor of the bus and Dongla performed CPR on him until the ambulance arrived.
Their brave and quick response saved the lives of the driver and 18 other passengers.
The bus company presented them with a banner in recognition of their bravery.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
