KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — The Transport Ministry today refuted the allegation that the increase in the penalty for several traffic offences was meant to allow certain quarters to make hefty profit.

Instead, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri said the increase was aimed at imposing sterner action and reducing the accident rate in the country.

"The government wants to ensure that innocent road users will be protected, especially with the increase in the number of cars on the road and accident rates.

"If people show total disrespect of the traffic laws, should we just ignored them? It is unfortunate that the opposition had chosen to manipulate the issue by saying that the amendment was made to serve a certain purpose," he said when winding up the debate on the Road Transport Act (Amendment) Bill 2012 at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Abd Rahim said the government had also formulated a mechanism to control the profit made by the company entrusted to manage the Automated Enforcement System (AES).

He said the company's internal rate of return should not exceed 17 per cent.

The bill was then passed without amendment. — Bernama