M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The government gave its assurance on Friday that the deliberation of the new package of political bills would be wrapped up by the end of this year, allowing more time for preparation for the upcoming general election.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said it would not take long for lawmakers to deliberate the bills as a slice of the work had already been done.

"It's not like they (lawmakers) are discussing a new package of bills. This time they only have to amend existing laws. They can finish it by the end of this year," Kalla told reporters Friday at his office.

He said that if lawmakers were able to endorse the bills by the end of this year, then the new elections body should have ample time to prepare the logistical aspects of the polls.

Even if legislators endorse the bills after the December 2007 deadline, the elections commission would face no significant logistical constraints, Kalla insisted. "The electoral procedures will be much simpler and it will be less costly," he said.

The Vice President, who is also chairman of the Golkar Party, said there would be no significant changes to the delineation of electorates, with the exception of several newly expanded districts. He said the elections commission had already finalized the structure of the electorates.

The Home Ministry seems to share Kalla's optimism that the bills will be finished on time. Home Ministry spokesman Saut Situmorang said the House of Representatives and the government would likely endorse the political bills soon. "It's just an amendment and not drawing up new laws," Saut was quoted by Antara as saying.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) warned Thursday of an election debacle should the House fail to endorse the new package of political bills.

Ramlan Surbakti, KPU deputy chairman, said the commission would likely face tremendous logistical constraints, which would involve arranging district and seat allocations and improving the organizational structure of local election commissions. Ramlan said the new poll commission would need at least two years to resolve the problem.

Earlier this month, the government submitted the political bills to the House, which created two special committees on Tuesday to deliberate the package. The bills cover political parties, legislative elections, the structure and position of the legislative councils and presidential elections.

Chairman of the House's committee deliberating the bills on political parties and legislative councils, Ganjar Pranowo, said legislators would have to use their recess period, from mid-July to mid-August, to deliberate the bills.

He also said the government should be held accountable if the bills are not finalized before the deadline because it was late in submitting the package to the House.

In 2004, tight election schedules prompted members of the KPU to decide on contracts for procurement projects without opening them to public bidding.

Some members of the commission, including former chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, paid for their oversight with jail terms after awarding non-performing companies with procurement project contracts.

Kalla said, however, the government would free the jailed KPU members by granting them pardons on Aug. 17 to commemorate Independence Day.