# Jinja template in the perl script
my $api_user = "{{ salt['pillar.get']('api_user') }}";

# State file
api.pl:
  file.managed:
    - name: /usr/local/bin/api.pl
    - source: salt://files/usr/local/bin/api.pl
    - template: jinja

# Pillar file
api_user:
  - username

# End result in the script
my $api_user = "['username']";