KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — A new candidate has been identified as the next Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

However, he said the government will not disclose the nominee’s name pending approval from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

"Well, the new governor of the central bank will soon be appointed. Although we have identified the person, we cannot name the person until we have obtained the approval of the King,” he said in a news conference broadcast live from Tokyo, Japan where he is attending the 24th Nikkei Conference.

Last week, Dr Mahathir confirmed that BNM Governor Tan Sri Muhammad Ibrahim had submitted his resignation.

"We have not decided on his successor because we need the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong before we can announce a name,” he said after chairing the Cabinet meeting at Kompleks Perdana Putra.

Muhammad assumed the office of governor on May 1, 2016, succeeding Tan Sri Zeti AKhtar Aziz. He was the eighth governor.