These have prompted me to ask the concerned authorities about the absence of Tamil signs in Changi airport and other tourist attractions.

Just like the MRT stations, the airport is also a public entity. And with Tamil being one of Singapore's official languages, it should be logically reflected so in signage all over the island.

On the contrary, I see signage in Japanese instead. Has Japanese become our de facto official language?

Perhaps, the authorities can explain the need for Japanese signs?

Nevertheless, let me also remind the authorities that gone are the days where the growth in Japanese tourist traffic was so exponential that we had to go out of our way to serve them.

It has since become a well-known fact that India is our fifth largest tourist market with visiting Tamil-speaking South Indians forming a significant component.

And if one would to include the maids, manual workers and expatriate staff who fly into the Republic daily from Tamil Nadu, it makes sense to have Tamil signs at all our gateways and places of interest.

K. Sabesan