Monday, January 05, 2009
By TOM SHORTELL
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Abdul Malik, founder and executive director of the Jersey City-based Association of Pakistani-Americans for Community Organization, says he's fed up with the career politicians running Jersey City.

Malik, a Jersey City resident for nearly 20 years, announced last week he's organizing "Voice for a Better Jersey City," a slate to run for at least four Jersey City City Council seats this May.

The primary goal of the slate, Malik said, is to stop the rampant nepotism and cronyism in Hudson County, especially in Jersey City.

"It is time for the people of Jersey City to vote for change," he added. "How long have we supported these foolish and stupid people?"

Malik, 50, who worked for a pharmaceutical company before going on permanent disability for a 1992 back injury, has never held an elected office, though he served on the city's planning board during a previous administration.

He's mostly worked as a community organizer, he said, meeting with public officials on matters important to the Pakistani-American community, which has included alleged instances of police brutality and mistreatment of Muslim women.

Voice for a Better Jersey City wants to restore the city's integrity, he said, noting Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy's scuffle with police during his Bradley Beach arrest and Councilman Steven Lipski's recent arrest on charges he urinated on concertgoers at a Washington, D.C., nightclub.

"We have seen their personal behavior. Take a look at this mayor. He has no decency, no character, no integrity and no passion for Jersey City," Malik said.

Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for Healy, last night slammed Malik's "malicious and inaccurate account of what has been several decades of public service by Mayor Healy for the betterment of the people of Jersey City.

"We would gladly compare Mayor Healy's and his family's commitment and concern for our city and our people against Mr. Malik's any day of the week," she added.

Touting his eight years of public service, Lipski added: "Mr. Malik is trying to cloud the issue of productivity by pandering to the people of Ward C, but they'll see right through it."

Malik said he is running for one of the city's three at-large seats and is in the process of lining up other candidates.