Refer China: Foreign Worker in Shanghai Begs to Go Home Due to Severe Illness

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Foreign Worker in Shanghai Pleads for Repatriation Due to Severe Illness

A video featuring the emotional plea of an Indonesian migrant worker (TKW) named Lanti, originally from Sukabumi City and currently ill in Shanghai, China, has gone viral on social media.

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The 46-year-old woman from Jalan Pemuda I Gang Sumber Jaya RT 03/07, Citamiang Subdistrict, is seen in the video begging for help to return to her hometown for medical treatment.

In the circulating footage, Lanti is lying down and speaking in a faint voice while visibly in pain. She states that her condition is deteriorating and she can no longer endure the suffering.

"Pak Dedi, please help me. I am a TKW in China, I'm sick and want to go back to Indonesia. I can't afford treatment here. I can't take it anymore, Pak Dedi. My body is swollen all over. I have multiple illnesses—heart, stomach, and symptoms of tuberculosis," she says, appealing to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi.

Lanti describes widespread swelling across her body, especially in her abdomen and legs, which makes walking and daily activities extremely difficult. In the video, she repeatedly expresses her desire to return to Indonesia.

"I want to go home quickly, Pak Dedi, please help me. I want to go home," she sobs.

Her condition is confirmed by her older brother, Isop (55), who shared that Lanti began complaining about a small lump in her stomach in mid-2025.

"She told our mother about a lump in her stomach. My mom suggested she return home, but she said she didn't have the money," said Isop when interviewed at his home on Sunday (14/12/2025).

According to Isop, despite her worsening health, Lanti continued working, even doing laundry duties, until contact was lost around July. "She said her stomach was getting bigger and painful. She wanted to return home but needed 50 million rupiah to cover documentation. She didn't know where to get the money."

Lanti went abroad in 2019 to support her family's financial needs and fund her only child's education. "It was for financial reasons. She has a child, and money is tight in Indonesia, so she went looking for better opportunities—but look how it turned out."

Despite the hardships, Lanti regularly sent money for her child, who is now a second-year high school student and a Quran memorization student. However, she hasn't seen her child since leaving for China.

"Our mother hopes someone can bring her home soon. It's been a long time, and her child was just a little kid when she left," said Isop.

The Secretary of the Sukabumi City Manpower Office (Disnaker), Endang Toib, confirmed that the office has received the report and is coordinating with the family. The first step is to trace the process of her overseas employment.

Endang stated that his office is coordinating with BP2MI (Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency) to request Lanti's repatriation. "God willing, we will coordinate with BP2MI and proceed with submitting a formal request for her care and return from China," he said.

On the possibility of human trafficking, Endang said it's still under investigation. "It's not confirmed yet whether this is a case of human trafficking. We are still analyzing the matter."

Endang noted that problematic migrant repatriation typically takes around two weeks, depending on address verification and coordination with the Indonesian Embassy. "Usually the process takes about two weeks, with embassy and immigration officials retrieving the worker. Hopefully, this can be done soon," he concluded.

Source: Sukabumi Update