SINGAPORE — Shortly after announcing his candidature to become the next International Olympic Committee (IOC) President last month, Ng Ser Miang sent his manifesto to his fellow members to share with them his plans for the Olympic movement.

He believes a lot more can and should be done for the Olympic Movement, and this can be achieved by giving IOC members greater empowerment to better implement the committee’s various programmes, with youth at the heart of it, in the fight against problems like doping and corruption, including match-fixing — two areas he described as an “attack on the integrity of sport”.

In a recent interview, Ng, the IOC’s First Vice-President, told TODAY the IOC working closer together is key for the Olympic movement to stay relevant in ever-changing times.

“I’m not talking about a revolution, but we’ve to change as far as the world is changing,” said the 64-year-old.

“We have to relentlessly pursue the fight against doping and illegal and irregular betting. To me, this is an attack on the integrity of sport and we have to fight this strongly, powerfully together with our partners.

“At the same time, it is necessary to educate athletes and youth about such risks. It is a total fight to protect the integrity of sport.

“These are two issues that require concerted efforts within the Olympic movement, sports organisations and governments who have the power to legislate and take legal action and with the enforcement to help in the prevention of such corrupt practices.”

A record six candidates — including Germany’s Thomas Bach, Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, Taiwan’s Wu Ching-Kuo, Switzerland’s Denis Oswald and Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka — are vying to succeed Jacques Rogge as IOC President when the election takes place on Sept 10 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

They will formally present their manifestos to IOC members at an Extraordinary Session in Lausanne next week and Ng knows the clock is ticking.

Perhaps reflecting this sense of urgency, Ng has eschewed a fancy name or tagline for his manifesto, where he outlined 10 key pillars.

If elected, Ng wants greater empowerment for IOC members, which includes giving them roles in various commissions that match their capabilities and for them to help National Olympic Committees (NOCs) without an IOC member.

“Only 70-over NOCs have an IOC member. How about the other 120 over NOCs?” he questioned. “Members would want input and active discussion on major issues and this has to be respected.”

He also proposed a business council to tap the vast expertise of the IOC members to source for more funds outside of its commercial partners, and to convene a retreat in Olympia — the birthplace of the ancient Olympics — within six months for talks with members, with no subject off limits, if elected.

“Everybody has different ideas and we must discuss what is the best. Nothing will be taboo,” he said. “There will be no sensitive issue we should not be discussing and I believe we will then have a shared vision.”

True to his word, Ng did not shy away from sensitive topics during the interview.

These include the thorny issue of over-spending by host cities for the Olympics, where this month saw nationwide protests in Brazil, host of the 2016 Olympics, and whether organisations like the IOC have done enough to combat problem areas such as doping.

On doping, Ng said: “We have to look at this in perspective. Without the setting up of the World Anti-Doping Agency and other concerted efforts, such unfair and corrupt practices would be rampant. (But) obviously, much more can be done.”

One way, said Ng, to combat doping and corruption is to use the Youth Olympic Games — he chaired the organising committee for the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010 — as a test-bed for non-Olympic sports like rock climbing, wakeboarding and rollersports that would appeal to the youth and could potentially feature in future summer games.

Ng believes this can help the IOC reach out to more youths and educate them on the risks of doping and corruption.

“This means we must re-consider sports programmes in the Youth Olympic Games and make sure they are interesting and exciting to youth,” said Ng. “Our job is to make sure this continues to be so, to be successful, exciting, inspirational and to be watched by the youth. It’s also finding new ways to reach out to them, through social media, the Internet and traditional sources like TV and the press.”

Ng is regarded by many as perhaps posing the biggest challenge to early favourite Bach.

But he believes it is now or never. If elected, Ng, with a twinkle in his eye, said: “I hope I will bring in the Golden Era of the Olympic movement.”