Its president, Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor, said as there were no limitations for criminal investigations, the “truth in this case must emerge”.

A comprehensive investigation, he said, must be conducted, with the evidence tendered in court to ensure there is no room for questions or doubt.

“The fact that there can still be room for questions and doubts in this case, and possibly in most criminal cases, is what drives the Malaysian Bar to vehemently oppose the death penalty,” Fareed said in a statement.

“Where the system is susceptible to flaws, it is wholly unacceptable for this margin of error to be paid for with the cost of human lives.”

Former Special Action Unit commando Azilah Hadri recently filed a statutory declaration for the review of his murder conviction. He is currently on death row.

He alleged that the order to kill Altantuya came from Najib, who was the deputy prime minister at the time.

However, the former prime minister rubbished Azilah’s claim, calling it a “complete fabrication by a desperate person seeking to escape the gallows”.

Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 in the jungles in Puncak Alam near Shah Alam, Selangor. She was shot in the head before her body was blown up with explosives.

Fareed said he was disturbed by the revelations in the statutory declaration and called on all relevant authorities to “do what is necessary to address these revelations”.

“There cannot be any cover-ups or attempts to shield or conceal any evidence or facts.”