A squad of Islamic volunteers set up to catch amorous Muslim couples in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya has come under fire, with a minister reportedly saying that it should be disbanded.

The squad was launched Monday by Putrajaya's Islamic Department to curb "social ills" and persuade Muslims to behave, although it does not have the power to make arrests.

"It should not be in existence," minister in the prime minister's department Nazri Aziz was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times newspaper.

The religious department "does not have trained people. They can't simply pick any Tom, Dick or Harry, give them a jacket and tell them to do this and that. What system is that?" he said.

He criticised the department for setting up the squad without government approval saying "before doing that, consult the government first. Don't act smart."

Malaysian Bar Council president Yeo Yang Poh also criticised the squad saying it was leading to a culture of surveillance.

"You want to ask people to snoop around? What kind of culture is this?"

75 signed up

Top women's rights activist Ivy Josiah, who heads the Women's Aid Organisation, said such squads were an invasion of privacy.

"The act of spying and snooping can themselves be considered indecent. This is encouraging voyeurism and is a violation of one's human rights," said Josiah.

The daily newspaper said 75 people had signed up for the volunteer squad which will look out for "indecent acts" such as Muslim couples showing affection in public, including holding hands.

Squad members will not be able to arrest errant citizens but will assist religious enforcement officials and identify those who needed welfare and moral suppport, the Islamic Department has said.

The enforcement officials are already deployed in mainly Muslim Malaysia to discourage behaviour such as alcohol consumption, gambling and sexual relations between unmarried men and women.

Last year, the cabinet had to intervene after public uproar over a controversial youth moral squad set up to spy on couples in southern Malacca state. It was ordered to be disbanded.