But she is not referring to the People's Action Party's sartorial style.

Dr Lim has been providing the occasional insight into the party's political style ever since her controversial exposition 10 years ago of the affective divide between the PAP and the people.

On Wednesday night, in a talk held by the National University of Singapore Society on her dual role of writer and political commentator, she gave her latest take on the new political leadership.

Amid positive comments came the observation that some things do not change.

"This Government is totally amoral and not ideological, for purely pragmatic reasons because it is time-wasting," she said.

"A problem presents itself, they roll up their shirtsleeves and they set to work and they go about it until the problem is solved.

"But one thing that still exasperates me is this: They somehow have this unshakeable sense of their infallibility and superiority.

"All the changes and so on that they make, I feel, cannot touch at the core. They are not ready for that."

Addressing a small room of about 40 people, she likened the political situation to a series of concentric circles.

The Government would be "very accepting" of more peripheral, non-political, day-to-day issues, for example, better welfare for foreign domestic workers, she believed.

"It actually gives a sense of openness: The Government is listening. But, really, it is on these issues that don't touch them at all," she said.

But, closer to the centre, the leaders might be more uptight about style, although she thinks they are now more prepared for criticism of Government policies.

At the centre, she listed several political "no-nos" such as allegations of nepotism and questioning the judiciary's independence.

In giving this appraisal, she also suggested three scenarios as litmus tests of whether the Government was willing to "back up its promise of opening up".

Firstly, "if they allow demonstrations. This is part and parcel of any society. But it is absolutely prohibited. I don't even mean demonstrating against the Government. Groups could want to show their disapproval of some international policy, Iraq prisoners, Abu Ghraib and so on," she explained.

Secondly, if the Government tolerated political cartoons, which Dr Lim also described as part and parcel of "democratic life in any country".

"Third and this will be the greatest: If somebody sues the Government and wins. I think Singaporeans will sit up and say: 'Ooh'," she said animatedly.

However, she expressed her doubts that any of these would occur in the near future. But she will be watching closely the next elections for a more realistic sign of political progress.

"If they repeat what they did at previous elections, I think I will be nettled and rattled ... not giving the Opposition enough time, coming in with their hardball politics, making use of the media and the institutions — this sort of thing annoys me," she said agitatedly.

Here, she expects more openness and less threats, simply because she believes the Government is in a very secure position.

In the post-911 and post-Sars world, the "climate" will be conducive for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to pursue the economic imperative of jobs and stability, which is what Singaporeans really want, she said.

However, due to the changing times and changing world and with a more sophisticated citizenry, she is confident that PM Lee will not go about it in the "knuckle-duster" or "lecturing and hectoring" manners of the past.

"I am quite happy to see what is happening except that I sometimes think: 'Will you please stop your policy of incrementalism'. This Government is so cautious, they do things in small steps," she said.

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