The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) say they will name their new national head coach soon, ahead of their opening 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in June.
The Malaysians will face North Korea on June 8 at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue, and Lebanon in home soil five days later.
"Our president (TMJ) has already been having discussions, but he does not want to reveal the potential candidates just yet," FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Amin told Berita Harian.
"There are a few names we are looking at, but I can't reveal them just yet because it may jeopardise our discussions."
There is no firm candidate to assume the national hot seat after former Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) coach Mario Gomez was ruled out after he rejected the financial terms offered by FAM.
Penang-based Croatian Bojan Hodak and former Thailand boss Kiatisuk Senamuang have been mentioned as possible replacements for Datuk Ong Kim Swee, who has been bumped down to take control of the national under-23 side.
But TMJ is believed to be insistent on bringing in a coach from overseas, possibly from South America, to lead the Malaysian charge in their bid to qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup in United Arab Emirates.
They haven't appeared in an Asian Cup since 2007 when they were co-hosts along with Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Kedah coach Tan Cheng Hoe, who has been touted as a future assistant national boss, could fill in on a short-term basis.
"There is a possibility of Cheng Hoe taking charge of the national team for the mean time. But I am sure our president will already have a candidate to take charge of the North Korea game by then," Hamidin said.
According to AFC, Malaysia will learn about the venue for the qualifier against the North Koreans by May 8, one month before the match.