In the lead up to 2011 General Election, the Workers' Party proposed pegging the price of new HDB flats to the median incomes of households that qualify to buy them, rather than to resale market prices because flat prices are too high and would be a financial burden for younger generations of Singaporeans. Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan criticised WP's housing proposals, claiming that it would devalue existing flats and the WP was against upgrading programmes and that lowering land costs to lower flat prices amounts to an illegal raid on Singapore's reserves. WP chief Low Thia Khiang countered that his party is not against upgrading as it is the duty of a responsible government to improve Singaporeans living conditions. But the asset enhancement policy is more than just upgrading as it involves benefiting from the sale of a flat which runs counter to the government's policy of owning a home. Low explained that Mah's accusation that WP's proposals amounted to raiding the reserves had no grounds given that the Grow & Share package to distribute budget surplus works in a similar manner.