Utusan Malaysia sees a minister, an ambassador, or the government treasurer as possible candidates to replace Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who will be retiring soon.

The trio are Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Wahid Omar, Malaysian Ambassador to the United States Awang Adek Hussin, and Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.

"Awang Selamat sees that all three leaders are capable of taking on the job," the Utusan editorial team wrote in its Awang Selamat column today.

Utusan believes Zeti's three deputies could also be possible candidates.

Zeti, who will be leaving office in April, previously said her replacement must be free from any political baggage to ensure Malaysia's economic and financial stability.

Utusan said it would be up to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to determine who would be best suited for the job.

Zeti had previously overseen a Bank Negara probe on Najib's brainchild, 1MDB.

The central bank then recommended action against 1MDB, for an alleged offence of "knowingly and recklessly making a statement which is false in a material particular".

Attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali however decided that 1MDB had not committed any fault, and that there would be no further action.

Zeti is Malaysia's second longest serving central bank governor, having served since 2000.