KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 -- Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has defended his insistence that Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) would not cooperate with DAP if returned to power, arguing that political disagreements with the party should not be conflated with race.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with New Straits Times (NST), Onn Hafiz said DAP was a political party rather than a racial group, rejecting accusations that his recent remarks had alienated the Chinese community ahead of the upcoming Johor state election.

"DAP is not a race. DAP is a political party that is perhaps seen as championing matters relating to the Chinese community.

"It is not just DAP that has been championing and looking after the welfare and inter...