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 the wringer. Cramps hit my entire body, and there were moments when I genuinely felt it was very difficult to continue running,” Syed Saddiq said in an Instagram post today.

“Even as I’m recording this video, I can still feel the cramps threatening to come back.

“For the final three kilometres to Kota, I simply couldn’t run anymore and had to walk. But when I arrived and saw a sea of people waiting, my spirit returned.”

As Syed Saddiq battled the kilometres, donations continued pouring in.

According to the campaign’s official fundraising page, contributions had reached RM361,848 as of 1.20am today — or 181 per cent of its original RM200,000 target, exceeding it by RM161,848.

The four-day Larian Kesyukuran Muar is raising money for food bank assistance for struggling families and iPads for students in need.

The overwhelming response, Syed Saddiq admitted, left him stunned.

“Honestly, I’m still shocked to see the figure of RM361,848. Our original target was RM200,000 over four days.

“But in just two days, we’ve not only reached that target, we’ve gone well beyond it.”

He said the additional funds would allow the initiative to expand food bank assistance to more families while giving more students access to learning devices.

Some of the most touching donations, he said, came from ordinary Malaysians along the route, including elderly supporters who stepped forward to contribute whatever they could.

“The smallest donation we received was 50 sen, but it meant so much to us.

“To me, it’s not about whether the amount is big or small. Every single sen carries meaning because it comes from the heart.”

Thanking Malaysians for embracing the campaign, Syed Saddiq said the charity run had become something much bigger than himself.

“More families will receive aid, and more students will gain access to learning devices.

“Thank you, Malaysia. This is no longer just my journey — it’s our journey together.”