27/08/2026
Sebenarnya, agak menyedihkan melihat bagaimana Tan Sri Irwan Serigar diperlakukan dalam keadaan beliau kini hanya ditahan bagi membantu siasatan.
Bagi kami di Cyberjaya, jasa dan sumbangan Tan Sri Irwan bukanlah sesuatu yang boleh dinafikan. Banyak inisiatif dan pembangunan yang mempunyai kaitan dengan beliau, antaranya Masjid Raja Haji, Rekascape, MaGIC, Sekolah dan Hospital di Cyberjaya serta inisiatif food truck yang berkembang di seluruh Malaysia.
Dalam konteks UMNO Cyberjaya p**a, kami sendiri yang pernah membawa beliau untuk menerajui UMNO di Cyberjaya sebelum beliau meletakkan jawatan pada tahun lalu. Ketika itu, keadaan bukanlah mudah, malah akaun beliau sendiri dibekukan. Namun, sedikit demi sedikit, organisasi tersebut dibina dan diperkukuhkan sehingga menjadi seperti hari ini.
Selama bertahun-tahun, Tan Sri Irwan juga melalui proses siasatan dan turun naik berkaitan isu 1MDB. Setakat yang kami fahami, beliau tidak didapati melakukan kesalahan dalam perkara tersebut. Malah, beliau merupakan antara individu yang terlibat dalam usaha pemulihan 1MDB dan dibawa masuk oleh pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib Razak bagi membantu menangani isu tersebut.
Menjelang pilihan raya kali ini, Tan Sri Irwan turut dilihat aktif membantu kempen Barisan Nasional, khususnya dalam memberikan penjelasan berkaitan isu Tabung Haji dan 1MDB. Menurut beliau sendiri, pihak BN Melaka juga telah merancang untuk menggunakan khidmat beliau dalam siri kempen di seluruh Melaka bagi membantu menjawab dan melawan naratif pihak lawan.
Namun begitu, sehingga kini, beliau masih belum didakwa di mahkamah. Beliau dilaporkan direman selama tujuh hari bagi membantu siasatan. Maka, kita harus membezakan antara seseorang yang sedang disiasat dengan seseorang yang telah terbukti melakukan kesalahan.
Persoalan yang wajar ditanya ialah: mengapa seseorang yang masih belum didakwa perlu dipaparkan sedemikian rupa seolah-olah beliau telah disabitkan dengan kesalahan?
Pemakaian baju lokap dan keadaan bergari sudah tentu memberikan persepsi yang sangat negatif kepada masyarakat, sedangkan proses siasatan dan proses perbicaraan adalah dua perkara yang berbeza.
Kita tidak mahu membuat tuduhan tanpa bukti. Jika benar terdapat kesalahan, biarlah proses undang-undang menentukan kebenarannya. Tetapi jika siasatan akhirnya tidak membawa kepada pertuduhan, persoalan tentang reputasi dan maruah seseorang juga wajar diberikan perhatian.
Bagi kami yang pernah bekerja bersama beliau di Cyberjaya, Tan Sri Irwan bukan sekadar seorang bekas penjawat awam. Beliau ialah antara individu yang pernah menyumbang masa, tenaga dan idea dalam membangunkan pelbagai inisiatif serta membina gerakan UMNO di Cyberjaya dari bawah. Usah hukum seseorang sebelum mahkamah membuat keputusan. Siasatan adalah siasatan. Pertuduhan adalah pertuduhan. Sabitan p**a adalah perkara yang berbeza.
Keadilan harus diberikan kepada semua pihak — tanpa mengira siapa mereka dan parti mana yang mereka wakili.
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It is genuinely saddening to see how Tan Sri Irwan Serigar is being treated when, at this stage, he has only been detained to assist with an ongoing investigation.
For us in Cyberjaya, Tan Sri Irwan’s contributions and service are undeniable. He has been associated with various initiatives and developments that have benefited the community, including Masjid Raja Haji, Rekascape, MaGIC, as well as the food truck initiative that has expanded across Malaysia.
In the context of UMNO Cyberjaya, we were among those who brought him forward to lead UMNO in Cyberjaya before he stepped down from the position last year. At the time, circumstances were far from easy, particularly with his own bank accounts being frozen. Nevertheless, the organisation was gradually built, strengthened and developed into what it is today.
For many years, Tan Sri Irwan has also gone through investigations and various developments relating to the 1MDB issue. To the best of our understanding, he has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing in relation to the matter. In fact, he was among those involved in efforts to facilitate the recovery and restructuring of 1MDB, having been brought into the process during the administration of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to assist in addressing the issue.
As the upcoming election approaches, Tan Sri Irwan has also been actively involved in supporting Barisan Nasional’s campaign, particularly in providing explanations and perspectives concerning issues relating to Tabung Haji and 1MDB. According to Tan Sri Irwan himself, BN Melaka had also planned to engage him in campaign programmes across Melaka to help address and counter the narratives put forward by the opposing parties.
However, at this point, Tan Sri Irwan has not been charged in court. He has reportedly been remanded for seven days to assist with the investigation. We must therefore distinguish between an individual who is being investigated and someone who has been proven to have committed an offence.
A legitimate question that deserves to be asked is: Why should someone who has yet to be charged be presented to the public in a manner that may create the impression that he has already been convicted?
The public display of a detainee in prison attire and in handcuffs can inevitably create a highly negative perception, even though an investigation and a court trial are two entirely different processes.
We do not wish to make accusations without evidence. If there has indeed been any wrongdoing, let the due process of law determine the truth. However, if the investigation ultimately does not result in any charges, the impact on an individual’s reputation and dignity should also be given due consideration.
For those of us who have worked with him in Cyberjaya, Tan Sri Irwan is not merely a former civil servant. He is someone who has contributed his time, energy and ideas towards developing various initiatives and building the UMNO movement in Cyberjaya from the ground up.
Do not judge a person before the court has made its decision. An investigation is an investigation. A charge is a charge. A conviction is an entirely different matter.
Justice and due process must be afforded to everyone — regardless of who they are or which political party they represent.
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