Arientha Primanita, Ezra Sihite & Rahmat – Military chief Adm. Agus Suhartono denied on Wednesday that members of the Navy had deliberately assaulted journalists in Padang, West Sumatra, a day earlier, but did admit that the soldiers involved had apologized to the reporters and would be duly punished.

"It was not abuse, and there was no intention to abuse," he said at the Presidential Palace. "But in the process, undesired things happened, as they often do."

Seven journalists, most of them from national TV stations, were reportedly injured after being assaulted by 12 members of the Navy as they were covering the closure by the public order agency (Satpol PP) of huts used for prostitution.

Agus said a member of the Navy was a relative of one of the hut owners, and came to their defense as Satpol PP moved in. According to Agus, several other members of the Navy, who happened to be on a trip from Bungus to Padang, stopped when they saw the commotion and rushed to the defense of their fellow soldier.

Four journalists were subsequently beaten in the brawl, while three others had their cameras seized by the servicemen.

However, Agus said the Navy members realized that they were in the wrong. "The soldiers realize that [what they did] was not right, and they have been reprimanded," Agus said. He added that the Navy would punish those involved in the incident.

That was not enough for the House of Representatives, though, which said it would question Agus and the Navy chief, Adm. Soeparno, about the assault.

"To maintain the image of the Indonesian military and to uphold the discipline of the soldiers, House Commission I will ask for an explanation from the military and Navy chiefs to prevent these kinds of incidents from happening again," said Mahfudz Siddiq, chairman of House Commission I, which oversees defense affairs.