The influential Utusan Malaysia urged Muslim theologians not to take sides, hinting of a split in the community. ``They can speak up, but for peace and stability,'' it said. ``They should not stir chaos.''

More than half of Malaysia's 22 million people are Malay Muslims among whom the 51-year-old Anwar wields considerable influence.

Anwar, a former Islamic youth leader, was sacked as deputy premier and finance minister on September 2 and detained last Sunday. His supporters and police clashed for two days in the capital before and after the arrest.

He is being held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial. Police have said he will face several sexual misconduct charges but Anwar says he is the victim of a conspiracy led by his formerboss, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

A top official of the International Islamic University here and leaders of the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement which Anwar had founded were among a dozen people also detained under the draconian ISA.

Utusan Malaysia said: ``It is so unfortunate that a group of people who claim to be Islamic theologians have been actively taking part in fanning the fires of hatred among Muslims.''

``Are they acting on the path of truth or for their own ends? We have the right to question them because groups labelled as theologians should guide the community towards progress and stability.''

The Opposition Parti Islam's organ, Harakah, on Friday front-paged a mammoth `Reformasi' rally attended by Anwar in the national mosque's premises on Sunday hours before his arrest.

The `Reformasi' or reform campaign was the rallying point for the protests against President Suharto of Indonesia which led to his eventual ousting in May.

Nik Aziz Nik Mat, leader of thefundamentalist Parti Islam which rules the northeastern state of Kelantan, said Mahathir, Anwar and the police should sit down and ``overcome the problem.''

But an editorial in Harakah said the crisis showed that Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation was losing its clout as the lynchpin of the ruling National Front coalition.

``The secular party is facing a very serious internal split, particularly at the grassroots level,'' it said.