The police are aware of the threat to spray-paint female devotees at the Thaipusam festival this year and are looking for individuals who issued such threats.

The Star quoted Selangor police chief Commissioner Abdul Samah Mat saying: "We will take appropriate action. What this individual is planning to do is unlawful, and we will not allow it."

He stressed that the police would maintain security during Thaipusam and would not tolerate any lawbreakers.

Abdul Samah's warning comes following threats issued by one Henry Barnas in a Facebook group called "Thaipusam Spraying Group", in which said he and other "volunteers" would spray Hindu women with paint if they were "inappropriately dressed" at Thaipusam events.

The Facebook group, which has about 145 members, has a picture portraying the backs of women clad in various designer saree blouses with the message that they should "beware of being sprayed with aerosol paint if found
inappropriate dressed."

While they were supporters, the post and the page received mainly backlash from various parties, especially women.

Many took Barnabas to task by questioning why he did not impose similar moral policing on male devotees who throng the Hindu festival.

Some remarked that instead of spray cans, the volunteers should instead give shawls to female devotees who are inappropriately dressed, to cover up.

MIC Wanita 'aghast' 

MIC Wanita chief M Mohana said the party is "aghast" by the "misogynistic" warning, and will lodge police reports against the Facebook page.  

She said there are dress codes for those visiting temples but it does not mean those who do not adhere must be insulted or attacked.

"Being misogynistic and coming up with distorted ideas on undermining women should not be allowed in this era," she said in a statement. 

"We are living in a community where a woman should be measured by her intelligence and hard work, not by the length of her cloth."