Since your $arr_ref_new has elements in it that $arr_ref didn't, I don't know what you want to do. but maybe this would help:

my $foo = [1,2,3];

# assign (1,2,3) to @bar
my @bar = @$foo;

# assign ([1],[2],[3]) to @baz
my @baz = map { [$_] } @$foo;
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