Singaporean actor Elvin Ng and his mother, Linda Chew, travelled to Indonesia for an emotional reunion with Jumiyati, affectionately known as Jumi — the former domestic helper who had been part of their family for six years.
The reunion, featured in CNA’s On The Red Dot: Finding, came 12 years after Jumi returned to Indonesia in 2014. Ng and his mother travelled to Depok City to surprise her at her home, turning what began as a long-awaited reunion into an emotional reflection on family, loss and the people who quietly help us through difficult chapters of life.
Jumi Was More Than a Helper to the Ng Family
Jumi first came to Singapore hoping to earn more money and worked for Ng’s family from 2008 to 2014.
Ng recalled that she was particularly close to him and his siblings because she was closer to their age than some of the family’s other helpers.
During Ng’s demanding early years in show business, Jumi became a familiar presence at home. She was responsible for waking him up for work — something she admitted was not always easy because Ng was not much of a morning person.
The actor joked that Jumi was essentially his family’s “best alarm clock.”
Behind the glamour of television and entertainment, however, Ng said his schedule at the time was extremely demanding. Filming could run from morning until evening, and sometimes until midnight. After returning home, he still had scripts to memorise before getting only a few hours of sleep.
Then Came the Moment That Changed Everything
Jumi eventually decided to return to Indonesia in 2014 to continue her own life.
She initially remained in contact with Ng’s mother, but over the years, their communication gradually faded.
Twelve years later, Ng and his mother decided it was time to find her again.
They travelled to Depok City, West Java, carrying a simple but deeply personal surprise: homemade pineapple tarts.
The choice was significant because Jumi had previously learned to make the treats from Linda Chew.
When Jumi received the gift, she became emotional. But the real shock came when she finally saw Ng and his mother.
She burst into tears and embraced them.
After more than a decade apart, the three were finally together again.
What Jumi Had Kept for 12 Years Was Even More Emotional
The reunion revealed just how much the family had continued to mean to Jumi.
She had kept several reminders of her years in Singapore, including a wallet given to her by Ng and handwritten recipes for dishes such as chicken rice, prawn mee and pineapple tarts.
For Ng’s mother, those keepsakes were proof that Jumi had never truly forgotten them.
Ng admitted that he did not realise just how important the family had remained in Jumi’s heart.
But perhaps the most emotional memory involved Ng’s late father.
She Never Forgot the Family’s Hardest Days
Ng’s father died in 2012, while Ng was navigating the intense demands of his growing entertainment career.
During that difficult period, Jumi stayed close to Linda Chew.
Chew recalled walking with Jumi from the canal near their former home in Jurong East toward Chinese Garden. Jumi was attentive to her and worried about her wellbeing, even quietly crying at times herself.
Ng said he had felt helpless because he could not always be there for his mother while working.
Knowing that Jumi was taking care of his family gave him some peace of mind.
He later described her contribution as something that helped the family “tide through in a very quiet way.”
Then Jumi Cooked One More Dish in Memory of Ng’s Father
During the reunion, Jumi prepared prawn mee, a dish she remembered learning from Ng’s late father.
The seemingly ordinary meal carried years of memories.
As she recalled learning the dish from him, Jumi became emotional.
For Chew, seeing Jumi again was also an opportunity to express gratitude for the support she had provided during one of the family’s most difficult periods.
“Luckily, we had you at that time,” Chew told her, expressing how different those years might have been without her.
Ng also explained that while he had to return immediately to work after his father’s death, knowing that Jumi and his mother were together made him feel more at ease.
A Reunion That Was Years in the Making
The emotional meeting was featured in CNA’s On The Red Dot: Finding, a six-part series built around reunions between people whose lives were deeply influenced by one another.
Ng had already teased his Indonesia trip on Instagram in July, describing the journey with his mother as a work trip — without revealing the emotional reunion that was waiting for them.
CNA’s programme describes Jumi as a former domestic helper who became a pillar of strength for Ng’s family, highlighting how relationships formed in the home can endure long after employment ends.
The story has since been picked up by other regional entertainment outlets, with AsiaOne highlighting the family’s 12-year separation and the quiet role Jumi played during Ng’s father’s death.
Ultimately, the reunion was not simply about finding someone from the past.
It was about recognising someone who had quietly been there when the family needed her most.
And after 12 years without seeing each other, the first embrace said more than words ever could.
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