Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to expedite its investigations into a bungalow he had been renting since 2009 and which he purchased for RM2.8 million in 2015.

This is according to his aide, Wong Hon Wai.

"I was instructed to refer to the MACC's statement, which (said the graftbuster would probe) Lim since he bought the bungalow in 2015. (MACC) should instead look into the case when he first rented the bungalow in 2009," Wong said in a media statement today.

According to him, the chief minister welcomed the investigation as it would prove that he runs a clean administration, which was also reaffirmed by Transparency International.

"The chief minister will fully cooperate with MACC," Wong said, adding that the allegations against Lim were baseless and wrong.

"I will accompany the chief minister to visit Hainan, China, this week. He will be available to be contacted for a testimony next week," he said.

Wong ( photo ) described the attacks - based on the purchase of the bungalow at below the market price - as an attempt to "character assassinate" Lim.

The embattled chief minister had organised a media trip to his bungalow located on Pinhorn Road.

This was after Umno lawmaker Shabudin Yahya alleged wrongdoing in the deal.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby earlier today, Lim reiterated his disappointment that Shabudin spurned his invitation to a cup of coffee over the matter.

"I am disappointed to an extent. I invited him with good intentions and he did not show up.

"I am of the view that this is first time ever a chief minister has invited (someone who made an allegation) to come and listen to my explanation," he added.

"He refused to show where corruption happened. Probably this was the reason he refused to show up," he added.