PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim said the haze had affected the Black 505 rally turnout in Kuala Lumpur yesterday but insisted that Pakatan Rakyat had still managed to get its message through.

"The turnout was good even though there was the haze factor.

"For example, in Brickfields, (Lembah Pantai MP) Nurul Izzah Anwar had called for all mothers and their children to go home," he told a press conference in Ampang today.

NONEThe Black 505 rallies is a series of demonstrations aimed at protesting alleged electoral fraud during the 13th general election.

Previous rallies saw venues - such as the Kelana Jaya stadium and Padang Timur - reaching saturation point, while the rally at Padang Merbok yesterday saw 30,000 participants at its peak, leaving most of the field empty.

Many took refuge in the shade, away from the centre of the field. Some who left early told Malaysiakini that they couldn't take the heat.

Anwar said organisers had also informed elderly participants to return home early due to avoid breathing complications.

"By 3.30pm and 4pm many people had already returned home," he noted.

However, Anwar said the fact they had turned up was sufficient as Pakatan managed to get its message through about electoral fraud.

"The message was clear, that the fraud must be exposed, do not allow the robbing of the rakyat be forgotten," he said.

 Malaysia and Singapore have been enveloped in thick smog from fires in Indonesia that have gone on unabated.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today declared emergency in Muar and Ledang in Johor as the haze crisis worsened.

Some 30,000 protestors braved the haze at the rally yesterday.

Organisers estimated the crowd at 55,000, far short from the expected 300,000.

A group of over 100 youths had continued to camp overnight after the rally at Padang Merbok, the protest site, despite the haze.

‘Authorities taunting protestors'

Meanwhile, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu who was also at the press conference noted that Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) had deliberately locked the public toilets near the camp site in a bid to make the protestors leave.

"Yesterday, at around 6pm, the youths found that the public toilets around Padang Merbok had been locked and they were forced to go all the way to Bukit Aman's surau to use the toilet," he said.

Mohamad who is more fondly known as Mat Sabu urged the authorities not to use strong-armed tactics against the protestors.

"For those who are Muslim, they also need to use the toilet for water for prayers. Many have to use mineral water now.

"I hope that their security will be taken care of and they will not be subjected to any hard-handed action as it is a peaceful protest," he said.

DOE's Air Pollutant Index - check API readings nationwide