(First of a two-part article exploring the use of bamboo in construction) KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 (Bernama) -- Structural engineer Ahmad Mazlan Othman’s love affair with bamboo started in 2013 when he was visiting Vietnam. The former president of the Malaysian Bamboo Society was exploring Ho Chi Minh City when he noticed something on the streets that was at once unusual, distinctive and deeply rooted in tradition.