Thanks a lot, Hatta Rajasa!

I received an email earlier today from WorldPerks:

[...]
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has advised that the country of Indonesia does not comply with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Therefore, effective immediately, Northwest Airlines^® has temporarily suspended its WorldPerks^®, passenger and cargo agreements with Garuda Indonesia Airlines. For more information, please contact Northwest Reservations at (021) 522-0512.
[...]

Sincerely,
[Name withheld]
Director
Pacific Marketing & Distribution Planning
Northwest Airlines

I'm ticked off, but not surprised. Unless you've been living under a rock, no Indonesian should be surprised by the international implication of this. Here is a pretty harsh but frank article on the severe lack of concern from the Indonesian government towards public safety:

Indonesia - Natural Disasters or Mass Murder? (Andre Vltchek)
"The Indonesian airline industry has one of the worst safety records in the world. Since 1997, at least 666 people have died in eight separate airplane crashes in the country. Some of the pilots are so badly trained that planes sometimes skip off the runway, or miss it altogether. Maintenance is another issue: flaps often don't function properly; wheels cannot retract properly after take-off; and seldom-changed tires have a tendency to blow out upon touchdown. It is a mystery as to how some airplanes — particularly old Boeing 737s flown by almost all Indonesian airlines — make it through the inspections."