This code works fine for me on Slackware linux. Maybe since it only affects certain variants of OS, it's permissions releated? ( you are jumping up out of your homedir). Also checjk the buglist and try the latest version of Tk ...... Tk-804.028 which has fixed many bugs.

#!/usr/bin/perl
use warnings;
use strict;
use Tk;

my $defaultdir = '/home';    #defaults to current dir

my $mw = MainWindow->new( -title => "Test DirSelect" );

my $selbut = $mw->Button(
    -text    => 'Select',
    -command => [ \&dirsel, $defaultdir ]
)->pack();

my $quitbut = $mw->Button(
    -text    => 'Exit',
    -command => sub { exit }
)->pack();
MainLoop;
#################################################
sub dirsel {
    my $defaultdir = shift;
    my $dir = $mw->chooseDirectory( -initialdir => $defaultdir );
    print "$dir\n";
}
__END__
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