HONG KONG - HONG Kong's chief executive and top government ministers will take a more than five percent pay cut as part of the city's belt-tightening during the economic downturn, reports said on Monday.

Donald Tsang and other senior officials were expected to take a cut of 5.38 per cent, the South China Morning Post and other media reported, citing an unnamed source.

No-one from the government was immediately available to comment on the reports.

The pay rise will be the first top-level drop in wages since 2003, when officials took a 10 per cent reduction during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

The disease killed around 300 people in the city and turned the financial hub into a virtual ghost town.

The latest move comes as the government was expected to announce a pay cut for around 18,000 of the city's best-paid civil servants, a move that has sparked protest from unions.

Mr Tsang currently earns HK$371,855 (US$69,433) a month, the Post said. He was criticised last year for creating 17 new highly paid political positions.

Hong Kong fell into recession in the third quarter of 2008 and in May the government slashed its growth forecast for this year, saying the economy would contract 5.5 - 6.5 per cent in 2009, from a previous forecast of 2.0-3.0 per cent. -- AFP