The rule of law must be assessed in terms of its enforcement, as well as fair and equitable use, which should apply to all citizens without fear or favour, said the sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.

He said the law, from the moment it was drafted, approved, and enforced, is among the important components which would determine the development status of a country.

"The progress of a country is strongly influenced by the confidence of its citizens and of the world, that the country is being administered fairly and equitably based on an integrated and transparent legislative system and institution," he said during the 22nd convocation ceremony of the Certificate in Legal Practice Examination at the Putra World Trade Centre, yesterday.

He said in the high-tech and borderless world today, people were more knowledgeable about their rights and the laws that apply to them.

The society could easily obtain information from various sources, said Sultan Nazrin, and this entailed a more open and transparent management culture.

- Bernama