GEORGE TOWN: A traffic policeman on duty was all riled up after a participant of the annual Penang Rainbow Run threw coloured powder at him here today.
The policeman, who was monitoring the traffic during the charity run at Padang Polo here, did not realise his shirt and pants were tainted initially until a passer-by alerted him.
He was visibly angry and shouted repeatedly when he discovered patches of fuschia and purple all over his uniform.
The incident caused a brief commotion when words about the traffic policeman being tainted had spread among the partcipants.
A car was also sprinkled with the coloured powder on its bonnet. The streets were strewn with various types of coloured powder.
Its organiser Ben Tan said the incident was unintentional, as the participants threw coloured powder at one another in the event observed worldwide.
"We do not know who threw the coloured powder at the policemen.
"The participants threw the powder on one another during the run, I am sure the participant did not aim the powder at the policeman," Tan said contacted by the New Straits Times.
Tan said the incident had caused a brief stir among the participants when the policeman ticked off the organiser.
Meanwhile, Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said no police report had been lodged over the matter.
Some 5,000 participants were given colour powder during a 5km run.
They threw the coloured substance at one another during the event that started from Padang Polo to Youth Park. It ended back at the starting point.
The event, organised by Charity Home Centre, was similar to the popular international colour run event held at various foreign countries.