The [Python] 'is' command ... checks whether the same memory reference is used in each case. ... I am assuming that you can do exactly the same in Perl using a ref command in conjunction with '=='.

No ref command need apply.

c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le
"my $ar_a = [ qw(a b c d) ];
 my $ar_b = $ar_a;
 ;;
 print 0+$ar_a;
 print 0+$ar_b;
 ;;
 print 'is equal' if $ar_a == $ar_b;
"
22632908
22632908
is equal
[download]

This works due to numeric coercion of a reference.