It said that the existence of conflicting narratives in the incident was troubling.
Bar president Ezri Abdul Wahab said the families of the deceased deserved the truth, and the public deserved the assurance that deaths involving state authorities would not be shrouded in uncertainty.
Ezri said a society that expects its citizens to trust law enforcement must demonstrate that it will hold every exercise of state power to the highest possible standard, adding that any incident involving the use of lethal force must be examined without delay or undue influence.
He said there had been numerous cases in which the findings under judicial scrutiny had contradicted the police explanations, adding that these instances had contributed to a “persistent trust deficit” that could not be ignored.
“Trust is not automatic; it is earned – and it is easily lost,” he said.
“When the flow of information is incomplete or inconsistent, speculation grows, and faith in institutions weakens. The rule of law cannot function in such an environment.
“When lives are lost at the hands of the state, the law requires nothing less than absolute transparency.”
Melaka police initially investigated the Nov 24 incident for attempted murder under Section 307 of the Penal Code, after police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar claimed the trio were serial robbers who had attacked an officer with a parang.
Yesterday, however, lawyers representing the families of the three men – M Puspanathan, 21, T Poovaneswaran, 24, and G Logeswaran, 29 – said audio and forensic evidence suggested that the men were killed “execution-style”.
Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation department has taken over the case.
Ezri stressed that all evidence in the case must be preserved, including any bodycam or dashcam recordings, firearm discharge reports, communication logs, and forensic material.
He also said it would be indefensible if the evidence was lost, withheld or destroyed and this would severely undermine public confidence in law enforcement.
Ezri said the officers involved in the incident should be placed on administrative leave while investigations are carried out.
“Such a measure does not imply guilt; rather, it reflects a policing system that understands the gravity of taking a life and the need to uphold public confidence at every stage,” he said.
“Only a transparent process anchored firmly in the rule of law can restore public confidence. The credibility of our institutions, and the safety and trust of the community, depend on it.”