COMMENT | The government’s recent move to raise the compounds for traffic offences is the right move, but the lack of follow-through is a huge concern.

Let me be completely clear from the outset: I support tougher fines. If reckless behaviour on Malaysian roads carried a mandatory RM2,000 compound per offence, you would get no argument from me.

But the tabling of the traffic law amendment this week is staring at a glaring mathematical paradox.

If a driver has already ignored 10 outstanding summonses at RM300 each over the years, what will persuade him to settle the 11th simply because the speeding ticket price went up to RM500?

The honest answer is: nothing.

In enforcement terms, an uncollected RM500 summons is worth the same as an uncollected RM300 summons - zero.

The absence of...