{
  "id": 18399643,
  "title": "For some families, Deepavali means a trip to Buntong for kacang putih",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/for-some-families-deepavali-means-a-trip-to-buntong-for-kacang-putih",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/11/06/for-some-families-deepavali-means-a-trip-to-buntong-for-kacang-putih"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As Deepavali approaches, residents of Ipoh are making a trip to Buntong to stock up on traditional snacks. For P Ravi, a 56-year-old man, this means driving over 200km from Kuala Lumpur, usually arriving a week before the celebration. For the past six years, Buntong has been his family's go-to destination for festive favourites such as murukku and tapioca chips. Ravi, who was born in Melaka, spends between RM500 and RM1,000 at local shops, which he then shares with guests, relatives, neighbours, and colleagues. K Gaayathri, a 30-year-old KL resident, also makes a point to buy her festive snacks in Buntong, praising the area's wide variety of treats. The popularity of Kampung Kacang Putih in the weeks leading up to Deepavali is evident, with the shop seeing a surge in customers seeking to stock up for the festival. Its reputation for traditional snacks has endured for decades, becoming familiar across Malaysia.",
  "summary": "From murukku to tapioca chips, the Ipoh neighbourhood’s cherished snacks have become a festive tradition worth travelling for.",
  "key_points": [
    "P Ravi travels 200km from Kuala Lumpur to Buntong for Deepavali snacks",
    "Family has been buying from Buntong for six years",
    "K Gaayathri praises Buntong's variety of festive treats"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}