Bandung – Fifty-two former workers of state aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia began a long march from Bandung to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday to demand the government honor its promise to pay part of their pensions in cash.

Other former workers and their family members saw off the marchers who began their trek from the West Java governor's office.

Group spokesman M. Sidharta said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had pledged the government would pay the former workers part of their pensions in cash. The fund worth Rp 40 billion was raised from an escrow account. However, the money, which was supposed to be ready on June 30, had not yet been paid, he said.

"We're tired. The long march will demonstrate whether SBY will keep his promise and show whether we can trust the President," he said.

The dispute involving former workers and Dirgantara management began when former director Edwin Sudarmo dismissed more than 9,600 workers in July 2003 during an industrial dispute. A third of the workers were hired back but the others demanded redundancy packages in line with labor regulations.