PETALING JAYA: The families of the three men shot dead in Durian Tunggal, Melaka, last month have expressed relief that authorities have classified the case as murder.
Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan, representing the families, said the evidence supporting a murder probe was overwhelming from the outset, including audio recordings of the incident, pathologist findings, and photographs.
"While welcoming the reclassification under Section 302 of the Penal Code, the families demand that officers involved in the shooting be suspended or placed on garden leave immediately, including Melaka police chief, Deputy Comm Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.
"We hope for a swift, efficient and impartial probe under Section 302,” he said when contacted on Wednesday (Dec 17).
The call for a transparent probe comes as the police assured the public they will not compromise with any personnel found to have engaged in misconduct.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the force remained committed to conducting the investigation professionally and in strict accordance with the law.
The Attorney General Chambers (AGC) in a statement on Tuesday agreed with the recommendation by police and directed that the case be reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
“Several steps are still required to complete the investigation before any final decision is made,” the AGC said.
On Nov 24, three men aged 24 to 29 were shot dead after one of them allegedly swung a machete at a police corporal in a palm oil plantation in Durian Tunggal.
The 4am incident left the policeman, in his early 30s, seriously injured on his left arm.
DCP Dzulkhairi earlier said all suspects from the Durian Tunggal Gang were believed to be on the way to commit a robbery.
They had allegedly been active since 2024, involved in 20 cases in Melaka and one case each in Negri Sembilan and Selangor, with losses totalling RM1.35mil.
However, on Dec 3, the families of the three suspects denied claims that the victims acted violently by attacking the police.
Following this, on Dec 4, a special task force was set up to investigate the families’ allegations of dissatisfaction with police actions.
