KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — Increasing the quantum of traffic compounds on motorists may not be an effective way to reduce road accidents, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said today following public outrage over the suggestion by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Abu Bakar.

Liow said although the compounds do help increase vigilance on the road, higher fines may not necessarily result in fewer accidents.

“We have tried it before,” he told reporters at a press conference here after witnessing the signing of the International Road Assessment Programme (IRAP).

“In terms of compound, the amount of compound is relative. For the rich RM300 is not money, for poor person it is a lot. It’s relative,” he pointed out.

He was responding to the IGP’s statement on Wednesday that police are considering a possible increase in the RM300 compound fine for traffic offences as part of a move to come down hard on errant motorists.

Khalid said this was being mulled as some motorists were undeterred by the hefty fine introduced in 2013, which was doubled from the previous RM150.

Declining to state what the new quantum would be, he said Ops Selamat 8 launched earlier this month in conjunction with Chinese New Year had not made much of a difference in reducing the number of traffic offenders.

However, Liow said that the government can work out other approaches with several agencies under his ministry.

“We have more different agencies in MOT and we are working on other approaches. There are holistic approaches.

“We will further study the situation in the Cabinet Committee to further reduce accidents,” he added.