This is usually caused by an out-of-date CPAN.pm module. Upgrade it first and then you should be able to install whatever else you want, without it insisting on recompiling the universe.

For instance, I should upgrade my version of CPAN. When I ask it to fetch a module it prints out:

  There's a new CPAN.pm version (v1.70) available!
  [Current version is v1.63]
  You might want to try
    install Bundle::CPAN
    reload cpan
  without quitting the current session. It should be a seamless upgrad
+e
  while we are running...
[download]

Try doing what it says, and you'll probably find that the problem goes away.

Oh, and it's Perl, not PERL.

print@_{sort keys %_},$/if%_=split//,'= & *a?b:e\f/h^h!j+n,o@o;r$s-t%t#u'