AirAsia Bhd's shares dipped to a five-year low today after the Indonesian government threatened to suspend the operating licence of its unit there.

This is unless, the company raises new equity by month-end.

At 10.52am, AirAsia's shares fell more than 10 per cent or 15 sen to RM1.34 with 53.41 million shares changing hands.

AirAsia in a filing to Bursa Malaysia yesterday confirmed that its 49 per cent unit, PT Indonesia AirAsia, had received a letter from Indonesia's Transport Ministry, urging the airline to ensure a positive equity position by July 31.

The airline said it, together with Indonesia AirAsia, is currently studying the letter closely and will seek a meeting with the ministry.

Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank in a research note said AirAsia Indonesia was one of 13 airlines which received a notice to improve the balance sheet equity to positive territory, and increase the paid-up capital to 500 billion Indonesian rupiah (about RM142.9 million) by July 31.

It said the move was to ensure that local airlines had sufficient capital to maintain reasonable safety standards.

As of the first quarter, AirAsia Indonesia's total equity stood at 3 trillion rupiah (RM860 million) with the paid-up capital at 180 billion rupiah (about RM51.47 million).

"Indonesia AirAsia will need a further injection of at least RM1 billion, including an additional paid-up capital of RM90 million or 320 billion rupiah," it said.

Hong Leong Investment Bank said currently, AirAsia was in talks with the Indonesian government to solve the issue, and the investment bank it is confident of a favorable outcome from the talk.

The investment bank has maintained a "buy" call on the airline with a target price of RM3.11.