A radicalised Singaporean man has been featured in a propaganda video released by terrorist group ISIS, media reports said on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017.

The man in the video is 39-year-old Megat Shahdan Abdul Samad, who according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), had relocated to an unnamed country in the Middle East in early 2014 for work.

Over there, he took up jobs in tourism and renovation businesses, and also tried to start his own company unsuccessfully. But his family also noticed that he gradually became more religious, eventually becoming radicalised and in September that year, moved to Syria to join ISIS.

This is a first-known instance of a Singaporean involved in ISIS propaganda.

His past revealed

As more information got released about him, it was reported that MHA had been keeping tabs on Megat Shahdan.

MHA subsequently also shared information about his past, which were picked up by local media:

These pieces highlighted that Megat Shahdan is a school dropout, took drugs, a secret society member and was in and out of jail previously.

Reported off MHA statement

The news articles contained information reported off a reasonably lengthy statement released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sept. 26.

The statement also included the following information about Megat Shahdan:

• He attended religious gatherings while in the Middle Eastern country, and told at least one of his relatives of his interest to perform jihad.
• As he was making his way across the Turkish-Syrian border, he contacted one of the members of his family to tell them he was headed into Syria. He later asked them for prayers for his safe passage.
• He was fighting on the frontlines with ISIS, and sustained an injury in combat. He fought in Iraq and Syria.
• He also dispensed religious advice to his family and friends in Singapore from Syria and Iraq.
• He expressed his hope that his family would move to the self-declared ISIS caliphate, as to him it is a sin to live in what ISIS deemed to be an infidel country.
• He asked his family to support ISIS and said he would intercede for 70 of his relatives if he achieved martyrdom.
• There are two other Singaporeans in Syria and Iraq, with their families.

[related_story]

Some Singaporeans react to caption

However, what seized the attention of some Singaporeans was the focus on Megat Shahdan's past -- even though the details were factual.

Some who commented disagreed with how the news was framed, and thought it implied that these factors were decisive in contributing to where Shahdan is today:

One also pointed out that it came off as stereotyping:

Background is not everything

Of course, a background of a person is not everything.

There are numerous examples of people who have successfully rehabilitated, despite their difficult pasts.

For instance, gangster-turned-lawyer Darren Tan used to be a heavy drug user who dropped out of school and served over a total of 10 years in prison. He finally became a full-fledged lawyer at the age of 35, and gave back to the community through extensive volunteer work.

Another case would be Jabez Tan, who was previously jailed for being involved in gang and drug-related activities. After turning over a new leaf, he founded Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh.

And Benny Se Teo, the famous Eighteen Chefs founder and entrepreneur.

Failings of the system

What Shahdan's case reveals, possibly, is a more pressing problem -- the systemic failings which resulted in his radicalisation.

In its statement, MHA also stressed the importance of society and family in preventing Singaporeans from becoming radicalised.

MHA said Megat Shahdan's case "illustrates the important role that family, friends, or any individual who may be close to a potentially radicalised individual, can play in reporting such individuals as early as possible".

However, MHA's statement did not say whether Megat Shahdan's family reported him to the authorities.