Russian humanitarian worker Valeriya Astashova was teaching English at an Orang Asli village in Perak until early March, when the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) abruptly terminated her permit to conduct community programmes.

At the time, she and the villagers at Pos Woh in Tapah, Perak, were informed by Jakoa that the English language class programme she was conducting there had to be cancelled because Astashova did not have the proper visa...