{
  "id": 5501509,
  "title": "Snow in Malaysia? Viral highway fun dampened by soapy truth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/snow-in-malaysia-viral-highway-fun-dampened-by-soapy-truth",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T05:44:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3366331/snow-malaysia-viral-highway-fun-dampened-soapy-truth"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A \"wintry wonderland\" unfolded on a highway in Malaysia, captivating motorists before the viral moment was revealed to be a soapy truth. Social media footage displayed thick white foam coating multiple lanes of the Shah Alam Expressway, making for an unusual sight in a country with no traditional winter season. Malaysians quickly speculated about the cause, with some comparing it to scenes from a Korean movie and others suggesting it might smell like popular fabric softener brands. However, the mystery was solved by Shah Alam district police, who identified the foam as soap residue from a truck spill near the Kota Kemuning interchange. The incident occurred on August 24 and was exacerbated by heavy rain, which caused the remaining detergent to create foam along approximately 500 meters of the highway. Police acted swiftly, blocking the left lane and alerting drivers to slow down and follow their instructions. Despite the brief taste of \"winter,\" some motorists were reluctant to let the viral moment fade without experiencing it firsthand.",
  "summary": "A “wintry wonderland” on a highway in tropical Malaysia left motorists awestruck – until a police revelation melted away the viral moment and turned it into a road safety warning. Social media videos showed thick white foam carpeting several lanes of the Shah Alam Expressway as vehicles drove through the “snowy” route. The spectacle was extremely unusual in Malaysia, where there is no traditional…",
  "key_points": [
    "Thick white foam coated Shah Alam Expressway, creating viral highway wonder",
    "Soap residue from truck spill caused foam, not actual snow",
    "Police blocked lane, warned drivers to slow down after August 24 incident"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The revelation that the wintry highway scene in Malaysia was merely soap residue from a truck spill dashes the romanticised notion of winter in the tropical country.",
  "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."
}