Noting that about five months had passed, the digital minister also asked whether action would be taken against those involved, and if so, when.

“The gravity of this case cannot be overstated. Serious allegations have been made, and evidence, including audio recordings, has been produced to support these claims.

“It is not unreasonable, in the circumstances, to call for an update on the status of investigations.

“This is a matter of public interest. The public has a right to know what happened, and the victims’ families are entitled to answers and justice,” he said in a statement.

G Logeswaran, 29, M Puspanathan, 21, and M Puvaneswaran, 24, were shot dead on Nov 24, during a police operation at an oil palm plantation after one of them allegedly attacked officers with a parang.

In December, the Attorney-General’s Chambers directed that the case be reclassified as murder. On Jan 3, the families submitted a memorandum to Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail outlining five demands, including action against the officers involved.

However, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in a parliamentary reply on Feb 4 that clarity was needed on whether the officers acted maliciously or exceeded the legal bounds of self-defence, as they were carrying out their official duties.