In the end, even the courts could not settle an ugly catfight between an aging popstar and her young rival in a case that has captured the attention of Malaysians over the past 14 months.

In a sign that the clash of egos may continue, veteran diva Sharifah Aini Syed Jaafar, 53, told the media that she would demand an apology now that a Malaysian court had dismissed a defamation suit filed by the government, citing the absence of an actual complaint.

Sharifah Aini was accused of spreading disparaging e-mails about her young popular rival, 27-year-old Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin, to entertainment journalists.

The e-mails alleged that Siti Nurhaliza, known for her clean-cut girl-next-door image, had artificially enhanced her beauty and indulged in sex romps.

Tell my story

Sharifah Aini started singing at the age of seven and has released at least 77 albums throughout her nearly 40-year career. But now, she has been dethroned on the top of the charts by Siti Nurhaliza, who in recent years has garnered legions of adoring fans in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore.

Neither singer was called to testify in court and Siti Nurhaliza did not file the complaint herself, but the case will not likely disappear from the public spotlight just yet.

"I had wanted to tell my story as this case caused me humiliation and stress for 14 months, but I was not allowed to do so," Sharifah Aini told a Malaysian newspaper, saying she was thinking of writing a book about her experiences.

"I will try and tell my side of the story one day," she said.