KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 -- Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was forced to walk the final three kilometres of the second day of his charity run after agonising full-body cramps brought him to a halt.

But as his legs gave way, Malaysians rallied behind him, helping the campaign raise RM361,848 in just two days - smashing its original RM200,000 fundraising target halfway through the four-day challenge.

The Muar MP said he could no longer run as he approached Kota after a punishing route from Labu through Seremban and Pedas, with heavy rain and mounting exhaustion taking their toll.

At the finish line, however, a "sea of people" was waiting, he said, and the sight of them gave him the strength to carry on.

"Today my body was really put through...