“Whatever it is, I firstly would like to apologise because I didn’t expect the matter to go viral,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.

He said the clip of him making the remark was a promotional video for a podcast called “Hitam Putih”.

Rosyam urged the public to view the entire podcast to understand the context of his suggestion.

In a 50-second video posted by Berita Harian on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday, Rosyam was heard saying that brothels were a necessity for Malaysia.

Asked to clarify his statement, Rosyam referred to the over three million migrant workers who had come to Malaysia “leaving behind their wives”.

He said without a proper outlet to “release their urges”, the workers might target and “rape our women and children”.

In response, religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar shot down the actor’s suggestion, describing it as “unacceptable” and that it “must be rejected by all”.

Na’im said when seeking solutions, one vice could not negate another, emphasising that Rosyam’s suggestion blatantly violated both civil and shariah laws, in addition to contravening Islamic teachings.

“The public is advised not to make any statement that may cause controversy or raise issues conflicting with Islamic teachings,” he said in a statement.

Na’im pointed out that prostitution was an offence under Sections 372, 372A, 372B, and 373 of the Penal Code. It is also a crime under the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997.

Rosyam’s suggestion also received flak from women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri, who described the notion of using women as a tool to solve social ills as “demeaning”.

She stressed that suggestions or insensitive jokes made at the expense of women should not become a norm, especially when they contradicted religious, legal, and familial values.