Ben Bo Bien, Doi Nam – Elections will soon arrive in Doi Nam, with incumbent President Vuong Duy Tam hoping to hold onto power for an eighth consecutive time. Many of the usual suspects have already come out in opposition to the President’s reign. As expected, many of these have had only a small following despite fiery rhetoric. There has been one surprising candidate however, throwing a bit of a wrench in the gears.
Doinamese social media influencer and musician Phan Hong Nhat, known to his fanbase as Phantasium, is directly challenging the multi-decade rule of the President. He has called attention to massive social and financial inequalities that have been present in Doi Nam since Vuong Duy Tam took power in 1996. He has voiced the frustrations and displeasure he and many other young Doinamese have felt at the lack of opportunity, rampant street violence that the government appears either powerless or careless to prevent. And further, he has already become outspoken against the current government’s anti-religious policies targeting the Celestial faith.
Many young Doinamese have flocked to him, as they now begin to voice their dissatisfaction to the government. And already signs that other demographics are following suit. He has already gotten support from Ly Mai Chi, an outspoken voice for celestial and religious rights in Doi Nam. The Tuong Liberation Army, a paramilitary group committed to fighting against the Doinamese government under President Vuong, have also voiced support for his movement, though Phantasium himself has remained distant from the group.
Already President Vuong has come out against Phantasium, calling him “dangerously out of touch with reality”, “spoiled”, and “unready for the rigors of leadership”. This is unlikely to be the end of it, as previously popular opposition figures and their families have been met with tragedy under mysterious circumstances. Additionally, any handover of power is unlikely to go smoothly, as the Doinamese military remains firmly behind President Vuong under the leadership of General Vo Tan Phuoc.
Yet Phantasium himself remains undeterred. “Someone has to stand up.” he stated in a recent post across his various social media accounts. “Someone has to fight for change. I’m tired of living in fear. Tired of standing by while I see injustices happen all around me. I know I’m fortunate enough to have a reach. Time to use it for something. Time to fight for something better.”
